FAERIES™

A Complete Handbook of the Seelle

by Sarah Link and John Snead

WWW.ATLAS-GAMES.COM
Credits
WrlUen bf Sarah Llnl! and Jahn Snead
Storie. ltJ' Marl< Reln•Haven. Llsu Stevens and Jonathan
,...,.
Addtlloa.I materlal, J.M. capenila, car1 Schnurr and
Marl! Reln•Haven
Dnelopmenl: J.M. Caparula, Marl! Reln•Ha�n and John
Brnndt
Edltlnfi Lisa Stevens
OrltllUll Coaceptl: Mari? 12eln•Haqen
Production: Nicole Llndroos
Cower Art: Cheryl Mll ndus
Tiiie LoQo• Rlchard Thomas
Interior Art: Charles Dou11heny, Erle Hotz, Jeff Menfi6,
Richard Thomas, Marl! Reln•Hawen
A r.U.U ••ce peno11: Stewan WlecR
An u._,.-.. Creeled .,-, Jonathan Tweet and Marl!
Re!n•Hagen

Special, Special Thanbs

Milfk "Sony about all those sentence fra gments!' Reln•Hagen, for tl'arlng himself away from his cum>1lt project to
do some valuable development on this toog awaited supplement.
Lisa "Keep that mall man away from me!" Stevens, for giving up on the 24 hour-a-day \VC!rk ethic 111 favor of a
healthier lifestyle (including grocery shopping and other free time pursuits) .
Jonathan "So Jong, Peoria." TwHt, for his original faerie contributi ons , and hlsappreciarion of the magical and the
fanWtic. May your name always be in print.
John "Yet another obnoxious chart." Brmdt, for spending the time to gently integrate all the separate influences
which eventually� up this fine supplement.
Nicole "Sony, Bllnky, gotta go!" Llndroos, for limiting her indentured scn.'itude to Ot\e small company al 11 time and
delving ink! this p1ojecl with lnzlh hands.
Cheryl "Those little people are hard to do!" Mandua, for her wonderfully evocative fame rover.
Klchud "Well , If you'd said so In the first place . . ." Thomu, for making thing-s a little more curvy, the middle
skinnier an d the ends hang down a little farther.
StfWut "Alpha Male" Wleck, for lceeping pace with t� rest of lhe pack. We're getting better!

Digital Edition Version 1.0

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 Chapter One: lntrodudion 4 Rt-ligiun 52
Keep in Mind 4 Mortal Creations 53
The Faerie Entgma, The Fay 5 Chapter Six: Bestiary 54
Faerie Magic, Faerie Realms 7 and Unseelie Courts, Wilderness Faeries
See lie 55
Arcadia 8 Forest Faeries, Leshiye, Satyr! 56
Chapler Two: Nature of the Fay 9 Fauni, Wind Faeries, The Alven, Dames Vertcs 58
The LeguKfs 9 Dominae Albae, Water Faerics 59
True Nature: Hermetic Theories 10 Sea Faeries, Skin-changer 60
Faerie Ethics 13 Merfolk, Mcrrow5 61
Faerie Laws 14 Pond Faeries, Asrai, Dark Water Faeries, Kelpies 62
Chapter Three: The Faerie Realm 18 Water Bogies, Ri ver and Lake Faeries, Rver God 64
Reglo, Regio in Play, Creating Regio 19 Earth Faeri�. Trolls 65
Noticing Regio, Enierlng Reglo 20 Spriggans 66
Leaving Reglo 21 Dwarfs, Gnomes 67
Modifiers for Entering or laving Regto 22 Nymphae 68
Magic in Reg:io, Time in Regio 23 High Faeril"'S, See llc Court 69
Festivals, Faeries and Rcgio, Overview 23 Tuaiha d e Danann 70
Faerie Woods, Faerie Fon'St 24 The Daoine Sidhe, 1'he Tylwyth Teg 71
Faerie Po11ds, Faerie Mounds 25 Sprites n.
Faerie v..JJeys 26 The Unseel ie Court, Kla-Sidhc, Ogres, The Host 73
Faerie ca.stl(.>9, Megaliths Z7 Hags. Imps, Low Faeries 74
Chapter Pour. Arcadia 28 Watcher Faeries, Bans�s 75
fsS<'ntial Nature 2R Morac, Brollachan, Fatae 76
InhabitanlS, Faerie Cities 29 Black Dogs, Redcaps, Padfoots, Oackcrs 77
The Faerie Courts 30 Household Faeries, Brownie5 78
The Seelie and lillse<'lie Courts, The Six Lands 31 House Baslliscs, Cobalts 79
Somniare 32 Workplace Faeries, Goblins BO
Atlantium, Antrum, Caelum 33 Weaver Faeries, Field Faeries 81
Barathrum. Tartarus, Entering Arcadia 34 City Faeries, Roustabouts, Church Faeries 82
Guardians 36 Un�1poople 82
Tnivcl m Arcadia 37 Wild Faerie Animahi, Whi� Hart, ChilliT'lghams 83
Cw1cspondcnces, Universal Sites 39 Domestic Faerie Animals, Les Chevaux d'Ys 84
Faerie Trods 40 Faerie Plants, Tmffles 84
Stories in Arcadia 41 Destroying ATigel. Earthstar, Faerie Rings 85
Chapter Five; Faerie Attributes "4 Stinkhoms 85
Borrowing 44 Cypre55eS, Mistletoe, Mandrake 86
Trade, Faerie Kidnappings, Changlings 45 Sea Foam, fT'lky Caps, Tuad Stools, Dodder 87
fa('ries Among Mortals 46 &got 88
Faerie Gifts, Faerie Abilities 47 Chapter Seven: Faerie Characters 89
Brew Faerie Potions, Change Size, Chann 47 Rol"playing Faeries, The Fae rie C.ompanton PC 89
Communicare with Anirnals/Planls 48 Creating a Fal'rie PC. lnnate Abilities, Limitations 90
Control Animals, Control Ft>Ji!lity, Concrol Person 4!1 Virtues and FlaYrrs, Unavailable Virtues and Flaws 91
Create Invisible Barrier, Cul'SI!, Elfshot 49 Faerie Powl'r.> \11
Elementa:I Control, Enchanting Music-/Voice 49 Characters With Faerie Blood 92
Enchant Objects, Faerie Sight, Flight.. Glamour 49 Weapons and Armor, Faerie Virtues and Aaws 93
musion. Infatuation, Jnvlsibtlicy, Prophesy so Chapter Eight: The Pool of Nyla•aira 97
Insubstantial Form, Shapechange to Animal SO Chaprer Nine: Night of the Faeries 105
Shapcchange to Object, Shap<.>ehange Others 50 Chapter Ten: The Shortest Day 118
Faerie Weakne--es 50 Chapter Eleven: The Golden Ship 135
lron 51 Appendix: How Magi See Arcadia 142

TAB.LE" OP CoNT£NTS 3
 p -
-� ,/ � Ji!
Chapter One: Introduction

Faeries are one of the most intriguing aspects of the A.rs MagicaT" s.ctting in
Mythic Europe'™, for they reflect much of the sou! and spirit of the age. They are the
dark, repres:;ed, highly supcrstitious side of the ml'Clicval folk - a pag11n past which has
never been fully put a.side. The faerie folk are the mysterious, somewhat bizarre, and
intensely magical beings that live beyond the reach of mort<Jl civilization. To play their
bizarre games, as one must to interact with them, is no trifling affair; !t is a most danger­
ous game.

To lhink of them in modem tenns, faeries were the pcrson1iica­

tion of i.'Verything mysterious to tlie medieval pcr.;on. They are the
embodiment of nature's power, of unseen forces, of the paganism
that once ro\ed the land and has no\v bcc-n pushed b.:ick into the
hidden comers of the world. But they are more than fan,iful sym­
bols� they are quite re.il and 'an wield lremenduu� power OV('T the
1\l"orld of the mortal�.

This book is a guide to incorporatin g the world of faeries into an Ars Magica
�aga. In tact, ll is u�lul lor any mea1eva1 or tantasy setting that acknowleclges the
existence of faeries. This supplement is intended to provide you with more insight into
who and what the faeries are, allowing you to include them fully in your Saga. The bulk
of the book is background on the nature of faeries, where they ca11 b<! found, the lands
they inhabit, and the diverse types of creatures th.at maltc up their world. There is also a
section on developing faeries ai; player characters, featuring ney,· virtues, flaws, a11d
abilities suited to the faerie world. Several stories involving faeries are included to help
the storyteller explore, discover and more completely understand the faerie world. We
have found faeries to be one of the most interesting aspects of the Ars Magic a world and
are confident that you will soon find them just clS fascinating and compelling.

Keep In Mind • • .

It is important 1o dispel many of the modem notions about faeries, They are
much more than the fantasy notion of �high elves," which is simply a rnod"m interpre­
tation of the �lie Court. They are aloo more than the simple ''fairy ta!,•'' folk - gossa-

• fAERIES: A Complete Handbooli of the Seelle

Illl'r-winged little people that fllttcr about in � mortal rea11n tmd ISO tonger recreate t hemselves anWJ l!l.>ery
woodlands. Ars Magica fileries arc based on real faerie moment lhst !hey live. Q,1/y when faeries are a product of
tales, not modem fantasy novels or Victorian children's II/story, fl!ld wot"� to the world if this wcrr to occur, will wr
stories. The faeries in An �lea descend from the tfln have lhefainle>l grasp of who 1111d what lhey truly arr,
medieval, not the Tolkien, tradition, so they are very and evm thm, when wefinally do have: this app•t•'Cia ion and
different from faeries in other roleplaying games. It is undmtmzding, we shaU be wrong.''
very important for the Storyguide (and the players) to Quenda1on, Primus of House Merin!ta
keep in mind these concepls:
�

• Th is is not typical fantasy roleplaying material.

Dwarfs are not little Scandinavians with long beards Thefaerie Ent11ma
and skdgehammcrs who like to drink, get rich, and
kill bad guys. Dwarfs are earth faeries. Thlnk of There are many dangers in the world, many
lhem as sp irits of everything in the ground and eve­ creatures and beasts of the wil de rnes s, and (l( course
rything that comes o ut of the ground. Anything there are always the 03norn. Generally these danger�
nl('lrtals do with the products of E.arth, Ibey can do are predictable, and the wiSll' rmguscan fol"<'ll«' their
better. actions and attempt to prote<t th �lves from such
threats. What u nsettl es everi the most knowledgeable
• High Faeries are not Elves. Elves are anci ent Greeks
mag! is the worl d that lies beyond the limits of civiliza­
with poin ty ears who like to dance and drink wine
tion and rationality, the realm of the Fay.
coolers.. High Faeries are the living memories of
gods, heroes, and whatever Stranger.; were here Faeries are all the beings that are intimalely
before us. The same f ascination modem people have connected to nature, which configures itself as the Faerlr
with archeology, mythology, an d UFO stories, aura. Indeed, they may be tl'le spiritual m anif es tati on of
medievaJ peoplt> had for faeries. nature itself, Their true potence lies in their inherent

•
magical nature, not in their muscle.. Some have super­
Low Faeries are not Halflings. H.illlings are glorified
natura1 strength, but most rely upon illusion. dcreption
and patronized simple counlry folk. They lik e to
and other fonns of trickery to pmtea themselVl.'S and tu
plan t thcir gardens and serve thetr betters. Low
carry out their myst eriou s desir es.
Faeries aren't cute, they can be dangerous, and
many don't look human at a\1. They are not the An exact picture of the faeries is nearly impos­
Sk!pin Fetchits of the High Faeries; High Faeries sible to compose, becaUS(' of the amount of folk Jore thdt
scorn mortal5, while LDw Faeries bring oul the has grown up around lhl'!l\ some of it true, most of ii
magic in ail mo rtal practireL High and Low faeril!S false. Some times what i n legend is a most malicious
usuall y aren't found in the same places. faerie, is in fact a kind, genIle and severely misunder­
•
As a lways you m ust remember that An Maglca
,
stood being. When a character uses leg<>nd lore to gain
infonnation about a faerie, d o nol hesi ia te to lell them
takes place in the Twelfth Century. Black knights in
Outed plate annot' and diminutive pubescent the mo�t mi:.lcading of the ]{-gends about the faerie; such
children with buttmfly wing:i arc t he inventions and Is. the naturl;l of folk lore. Always mix the truth with
legends of people from the SeV<'nteenth Century and sheer fallacy. Even when a character makes a Faerie
later. Those storiC!S arc closer to us, but the Twe lfth Lore roll, you might 'Nilnl ta mix some misinfunnation
Century was closet to Celtic, Germanic, and animist in with the real con tent of what you are saying. Th.c fay
magic and bl'liefs. People i n Baltic lands won't even are simply too exotic an d foreign to gel consistently clNr
nominaDy accept Christianity for another hundred and acrurate information on them They .lrc the strang·
est and most enigmatic of all the creatures known to thl'
years. Vikings arc stiD kicking around here and
there. On the Isle of Man, they'll still be jumping Order of Hermes. In fact, many wizards use the tcnn
bonfires and sacrificin g chickens until Queen Secli e to describe anythin g overly strange or exotic, e.g.
Elizabl'lh romes along. The Mongols rule Russia. "11 was a Seclic experience."
Latin scholars think that precious stones come In
ma le and female; put lwo sapphires Ina box and
you gt"I mom, dad, and a bunch of bouncing baby Tbefay
sapphires. Thii is Twelfth Centulj' scientific
Physically, fal'licsare incredibly diverse. Not
thoughL Explore these ide;is; they are rewarding.
only do faeries come in a multilude of shapes and size5,
enriching and exciting.
but some faeries can vary lhcir own shapes and sizes.
Being nature spirits, they are as varied as the whole of
''ThtftwUs o�e, and aJways�hA/l bl:, creatures of the natural world. The powers and IXJwer level of
mystery and kgen4. lf wer we are 11bk to fully undasland faeries is also highly variable, though i nv<1riably they are
them, it wiH only� b«o- thefaerits hawfin1illy left this highly magical. Some fa eries can perftmn minor b'icks
and illusions, others can do t he work of k'n mor tals in a

C11APTER ONE: Introduction s

single night, whtle a few are of such truly awesome 'rhcy might copy the courtly gTace of the nobility. or
power that they weTe worshipped as gods ln pre­ they may play act lhal they are serfs. Faeries may
Christian times. play a game of nobilily which they learned from the
However, in spite of the vast physiciil and mortals; even the conflict between the Seelic and
magical diversity of faeries, there are some similarities Unseelie courts can be !i('(!n as a kind of game. There
have even been faeries encountered who pretend
among all of them, Important .similarities for all who
would deal with lhi'm. 1lleSe consistencies arede­ that they are lhe inhabitants of a oovenanl. One
SOUJ'Ce even states that the faeries who were pro­
scnDed below:
tending they were wizards were able to cast spells
• Faeries are Immortal and ageless. Unless klllt!d,
similar to Hermetic ones. Once facrl!'.'S get Into a
which i.s usually quite difficult, faeries will be as
role, they are able to achil"ve wide and varying
they are forever. One oonsequence of their immortal·
powers, even though they have no similar power in
ity is their lack of a n immortal soul. Faeries have no
their nonnal fonn. This only parlly explains why
Heaven for which to hope for and no Hell about
faeries are so dangerous and enigmatic.
which to worry. When their body dies, they are • The main desire of faeries is to have fun, which may
wholly extinguishc.>d, then reborn as another faerie
mean frivolity or it may mean playing an eons old
of the same type, some even retain memories of their
game. The most import thing to a faerie is having
former lives. However, if they are lucky, they need
fun and being amused- It is th('ir primaryconsid·
never wony about death at all. For this reason,
eration. They live so long and have lived for SCI
faeries have no gods and no religion. The whole
long. that they spend their time in the purniit of
concept of worshipping a deity is foreign to them. A
pleasure, and have grown bored, They look fl1r any
priest preaching to faeries would only confuse some
way they can lo escape this trap, this web of tedium
and amuse others. This is not to say that faeries arc
Faeries nCt.'d no food, but often ertjoy eating for ii ls
wilhout WDrality, They have quite sbict roles of
something to do- they have !rimtlar feelings about
morality and behavior which may not make senSt:" lo
�-
mortals. Only those monals who know tha;e rules
•
can deal favorably with the faeries. Many faerie� do not have a set form, but can appear
•
In any form concurrent with the asiwct of nature
Over time, faeries may change their forms, or !hey
which they rep1esc11I Nymphs of io.tn?ams, springs
may even die, but always they come back in a new
itnd lakes, spirits of animal5, plants and growing
fonn and return to the realm of fay. Faeries live
crops. and Dryads for every kind of lTee in the forest
long lives; many are immortal. If a faerie is killed, lt
are some examples. They constantly recreate
will usually reappear, sprung from the womb of
them.selves Into new fonns and new powers. The
nature a S?'SOn or two later. Therefore, death does
llws of nature found in particular faerie realms
not have the same impact that it does on rmrtals;
change through time; as the get bored with the o!d
they certainly do not fear it as the humans do.
way of things, they crea.te a new way.
However, faerie&do not have a soul and ii they die
•
outside of the l'ffll m of the faerie, they die forever. A faerie is nol entlmly a creature of this world, ilnd
Their spirits are part of the spirit of nature- it does not have needs that correspond to monal flesh.
could be l!aicl that faeries a s a whole arc the anim.tt· A faerie does not need lo eat (though they ""'Y well
ing spirit of nature. It certainly would explain their enjoy a feast} and a faerie does not need to sleep, bul
seeming lack of Individuation. they ma y do so if they find it interesting, Whatever
•
a faerie does, they do out of pure fancy and whimsi­
Faeries are thought to be able to peiceive the world
cal desire. A Satyr does not hunt because they need
outside their faerie h0llle5, They seem to have a
a meal, they hunt for the thrill of it. On the other
strange ability sometimes lo know the secrets of the
hand, a mystical beast is an animal, an animal with
mortals whom they meet. This seems to indicate a
the taint of magic, yet a n animal nonetheless. A
strange, tenuous connection with the mortal world,
mystical beast is mundane in the scose that its needs
even that which is found inside the Dominion. They
and motivations are usually based, ultimately, rm its
seem to know about most of the things that happen,
and ko11 to haw knowledge that they should not­
corporeaJ desires.
• Faeries cannot truly be evil, for even the most
�liines even knowledge about the future (which
they have a �rd time 5Cpil11itlng from the pasi or malldoU!i of faeries do their hann 1'1\0re out of t11 love
present). Jt is thought that this is because they can of mischief than out of a will to do evil. True evil Is
see the reflection of our world within theirs, lhe something which just doesn't seem to apply to
ni.alm of Arcadia. (aeries, true evil is a thing of humanity and of
• Thefayare mlmlcsof5Clrtsand wm often copy the
Demons. Mystical beasts, on the other hand, ca"
Indeed be evil, especially if they are smart enough lo
mortal society which they perceive from Arcadia.
know what they are doing- such as a dragon, A

• PAE121Es: A Complete Handboob of the Seelie

 griffin, however, is merely a bird of prey, and cannot
truJy be considered evil, though it may indeed cause
geatevil.
• There is no such thing as faerie children, for faeries are

manifestations of the eternal spirit of nature, not

actually animals who are a physical element of it.
However, faeries can die, even from old age. When
they do. they almost always come back at a latef'
time. often arising sponianeously in a new fonn out
of the earth or a tree fully formed. However,
some times a faerie might arise out of another faerie
as a pseudo child, one placed there by the great
spirit of the forest and not created by a selCUal
process. Such ''faerie children" may look like
babies, but they have fully developed minds. They
are valued above all else by the othtt faeri�, for
they are the o� who haVl" truly losl all of their
memories of what they once were, and musl start
from the beginning once again.

The Ftiy
The origin of the W{}rd Fuerie Cami!.'! from lht
W{}f'dfay, 11114 lln apprecii2tia n r;f its mooning can be
quite beneficial in gaining 1 more tlwror.igh under· lbeir magic also seems to allow them to speak
stDnding of /he Wttfolk. F"!jmf!Jlns to� enchiinted any language as long as they are without the bounds of
at lo be bewitched. the Faerie Aura -it is a natural (']l'!Jlent of their
magic. However, if they speak in tho;>ir own languages
(more often than not, some forgotk'n ancient longueJ,
faerie Ma11tc they will not be underslood by thl' mortals around them.
Most faerle5 l\8.ve a power of a kind, and can at Their magic only works for the fal>rles.
least do things such il9 bring good or bad luck, strike Another common way for magic to manifl.'Sl
morta1s with paralysis, slay cattle, or feed on the good· itself Is via hard labor. The stereotypical dwarl is an
ness of grain or milk. A faerie can do both good and ill example of this. In hi�lf, he cannot create magic.
to a mortal, while 50TT1C are wholly wicked, many are However, if he spends months of labor working on a
quiie kind, bul all of them need to be treated with single project, rclusing to stop al no less than perfection,
respect. Many a helpful brownie has turned inlo a he may quite literally put Sl.ITTI<' of his own estiCl'ce into
malicious boggart because some fool spumed or mis-­ the creation. Then instead of having a priceless goblet t>f
used their gifts. expert workmanship, one has a pricE"less goblet of expert
Every f<1erie has an affinity, such as for trees, workmanship which can create its own fine wine and 1x_.
used to scry if pure water is placed into it.
flowers, cats, etc. These may be as broad as In Hermetic
magic, or may be more specific. The more specific the
affinity, in general, the more powerful. That is, a faerie
with the affinity "plants" could affect flowers, but not as faerie Realms
effectively as one with the affinity Hfiowcr.i." The Faerie The-realm of the faerie is wide and diverse, filled
Aura can range anywhere from l to 10, (note that this with creatures both beautiful and ugly, strange flora and
has changed from first edition Ars Magical and this is fauna, and magnificent caves and castles. There was a
multiplied times the affinity to get the level of the time long ago, when the gods walked the earth and the
Hspcll'' that a faerie can effect. Please keep in mind that worlds of th(' faerie and mortal were much closer. Nl>W,
faeries do not "cast spells,'' rather magic is something hmnan ctvilization, religion and magic have forced 1l1c
which they affect naturally. faerie to occupy the darker � of the world - deep
Also, lhe magic: affected by each faerie may forests, tall mountains, vast :ieas and oceans. Yet many
display itself diffe1ently. The most common way that faeries have adapted to the mortal world and have
magic emanates from them Is uncontrolled. Magic become a part of it-the so-called ''low faeries." And
simply happens as a result of the presence of the faerie. while the See\le and Unseelie Courts and the faerie!! t1f
Most do not have any control over what their magic the wilderness have little Influence on the day-to-day life
does, nor are they aware that they are affecting it.

C11�PTEl:! ONE: Introduction 7

 of mortals, their powt'!' can often be- felt by the weary that the entire dance circle can be held on the brim of a

trawler, the lonely farmer, and even the wandering farmer's hat. These are the faeries from whence the
�I<"'· appcllaticin "Wee folk" comes from.
Most faeries live either ill small family groups.
or u solitary hermits, and some live in villages under
faerie knolls. 1be areas when- faeries llveare entirely Arcadia
differenl from the mundane lands. Magic pervades
There is a realm beyond the faerie foll.'St, beyond
every aspecl of the place; beauty and magic seem to
the faerie glen, underneath the faerie pool, a land called
spark fTom every leaf and misshapen twig. It is a
Arcadia, or sometimes simply as Faericland. Arcadia is
wonderland where dreams seem more real lhan the
a reflection of our own world, but not a clear one. Tn
hours spent awake. In some ways, it is a very hard
human eyes, at least, it is distorted and misshapen.
enviro nment to drn1ibe lo your players and In whic:h to
There are many different ways to enter Arcadia. but yl1U
roleplay, but it is also an ei1tlerrely evocative and
always need to do so from some spot within a faeril'
compelling setting. Let your imagination run wild ijust
realm, usually the nmsl potent spot within a forest or
think like Qlvin, not Hobbes) and you won't go wrong.
gl�
Every different faerie area can be considered a
There is a correspond ence between ciur world
faerie realm. Each of these fantastic places usually has
and their's. Although they are not the same place, when
its own unique structure and upeiates under its own
something happens in one, often there is a rt"flection cif
unique natural laws (which can be very diffcriml from
that occurrence in the other. 'fhu.s what may be a city Jn
the natural laws of the mundane world). 'Thi? many
the mortal world, !s a strange and desolate �ci; of r1xk
strange and wonderful manifestations of lhe faerie realm
fonnations, upon whic:h many imagei; dance in Arcndia.
are worlds unto themselves. Though they are all con­
Some faeries come to the place to be amused and watch
nected with (Jne another through thcir secret entrill\CeS
the images as they conduct their strange affairs. MIS·
to Arcadia, their main similarities between one another
chievous faID"ies may even attempt to cause trouble by
is thal they all differ from the mundane realm of man.
bmalting off pieces of rock or using their magic to do
While each faerie realm is structured different1y, small tricks. The powers the fames i n Arcadia hav� In
some generalizations an be made. Almost univ1?nally, the mortal world, especiiilly where the Dominion rules,
the nobility are the most sophisticated and beautiful of a� very small but cannot be entirely di5C'Ounted.
the faeries and are usually ael.f like." Many noble
htl-rie& are kl'IOwn to have a sense of dignity, which i s
usually quite lacking in the other faeries. They are
known to enjoy music and dandng, and wear jewelled, Blbll<>itaphf
glittering clothing.
Nonfiction:
Some members of mortal 90dety are reputed to A l'l<!ld Ci•lde IO The Utile l'eople �y N°"ty Arr«W><Oilh 6' '->""'II" Maorw.
have the blood of faeries within their veins. ti is said ,..
that only those whn are bothered by the supt:t11atural, Aa Encyclopedlo or F•lol• by Kolh<Mo llrigr;O. 197&.
Tiie Sd•cr of Fll&y Tai•. An tr.q1.11<y lnlo FoiryMy!holog tr)' f'-5 Jiarrlond,
who keep seeing and meeting the faeries, are those who ,_
have faerie blood.Tiie wizan:li; ce1talnly believe that lrloh F.U,-.1 Polk faloo. ..i b7 William &u.�..,. Ye.olS.

those whom the common folk say have faerie blood,�

T.w. S...,. •d Follr. Talot. to,. liOoom
O'Foolam. 1982.
Fablaa.d '"l"•<lltn....,b)'Mau... . .. °"""?'
• 1m_
often those who have Innate magical powen ;ind ''"" 2�<11--F•1t;,byiV<ll'H.""- l817
&cJdo.,..i.olM"fl<-S�� 111..&CE. 19''
peihaps are good prospects for apprmlices..
WmW GDle ID C:eo-. P'.,...ea, Elva lad 11thuUuleP""Ple. by Uom•
The faerie give one another the title of lady or � . llll!IO
- ... Hlll "'"""""· by c...tJurig, 19"
lord u an appellation of respect, usually etimOO by that Ilall• Fo•hot-, tr)' llalo Cal""'°' 1"56
faerte who ls able to lead the others to new, eitelting Oa:l4""1.ol My1Mlo5)'. II)' J-pl> C...,pb.U. JJl64
experiences. The lords of the faerie11 are not always the
oldest faeries, for often those who have recently (by Fiction:
faerie standards) arrived in the realm of the fay have the F...... Tai•, Ro)'ll'IO'tld l'lul, 1g"7
most imagtnaUon and creativity. n.e Infllllf1 Co....,lto, bf C''"l! Elat, 198t­
Warl'm'TM o.b. byEntmo IM!. 1�!17.
Those faeries who sper1d much of their time neDrummone Ofld.
under the influence of the Dominion usually have grown 'IH T-<11 Swordo ft Jnoola. b)" C.J. Ol""Jl!, l!lll:l
&W. by Kellk T•ylar, tm.
to be quite small Even on those nights when the Faerie A 5- tlpooa Ullla; o...f!M&- of 1•e Ona; Slo,. Shiol<I. n. Dlllt Pnllil
Aura finally holds sway, and these faeries can emerge 1"" 911 &of \he SldM. O.ampi- DI' �SW he. M-• of lhe 51dh..
from thelr hiding places, they
re1nain unde rslud. It is
by K<nntthC. Al�L l!lill·11197
�a.a. .r:1.. it IM Mii 0..- t>y A"" Pi>llhl"'- l'll.t:
an adaptation that allows them lo conceal lhem:sclves
and thereby avoid being hunted down by overly :zealous
Additional Soutte•
church official&. In some rare instances, they are so tiny
, byun...Frt>ll.l&MAW.Lo<t. \W!.

• fAERll!St A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

 r�
,-� �\ hi
Chapter Two: Nature
of the fay
The medieval person secs the world magically, not logically or scientifically.
They perceive connections between pc.'Ople and things in 1•:hic:h today wc no longer
believe. For them, intuitable, JJniversal principles, rather than concepts of germs. genes
or gE'Station are \\'hat guide the processes of the world. A magical C'Xplanation of a
,

perwn's injury is ;ust as valid as a practical one, in many cases mol'(' valid �and in Ats
Magi ca, this is the way the world really works.
Faeries are simply an extension llf this kind of world view, of
this fundamen tal be-lief in magic. Faeries are the expressions of the
medieval persons understanding of nature; they are the dramati1..ation of
the forces which guide nature. To the medieval pcN•n, faeries are
Nature itself, and are a power oot to be underrated.
In order to understand the personality they gi\'C the fay, you
need only imagine them as the wild and uncontrolled side to the folk t1f
the Middle Ages� lhe restless, endlessly creative, playlul, crazed and
uni cased side to an otherwise stolid group of propll'. 'rhcy arc the dark
and obscure aspect o f a forthright and honest peopll•, who rt'alizc that
ihC'Tt' is much within them that they do not understand and ne\·er w1l!.

The Le11ends
Many stories are told about the fay- who they are, what they arc, and from
whcnct' they came. Curiosity about such strange,uncarthly people is "n'idc>spread, and
V('f'}' different stories are told from place to place. The village priest, if he is unable to
keep his country congregation from thinking about faeries at all, may explain that they
arc dead souls or fallen a11gels too bad for Heaven and too good for Hell. A sterner
Christian may believe they are imps and devilish spirits - even if they arc not demons
themselves, they still pay a tithe to Hell every 5e\'en ycars. An easy-going Venetian
pastor may leave a bowl of milk every evening for the monaehe!lo ln the church ba5e-·
mcnt, believing the diminutive monk to be the spirit of scime early Cliristian.
While the voices of religious authority may be unable to agree about the f;ieries,
common folk are secure in their own unique explanatlons. While in pl;ices where Christi­
anity ls firmly cntrendled, the too-bad-for-Heaven·and-too-good-for-He11 explanation
has its adherents, the country people who remember !he "old ways'' have different ideas.
They know the strangt' and small semi-human faeries, with their dark skins, distorted
faCT"S, and animal characteristics, to be spirits of the land. They gro"' from it just as rocks,

CttAPTEA Two: Nature or the Pay 9

rivers, and the Fall harvest springs from the earth. They humans came after many years of the rule of the Tuatha
are tied to the land, Ci1Ch to its place, and the health of de Danann. The Tuatha did noi make war against the
the land is measured by their abundance. �are immigrant human beings, but the coming of mortals was
revem:I, and, to the horTOI' of many priests, offerings are the end of their kingdom. The grealest of the Tuatha de
made lo them. These offerings are not considered acts of Danannset �I for lhe Isle of the Blessed,Tir-na-Nag.
worship by those who make them- they are only the the land beyond all lands, whett- death is unknown and
faeries' due. Just as the lord is owed labor, and the the b'ee$ flower and bear fruit at lhe same ttme and In
miller a portion of the ground grain, the faeries are owed everyseason. It is said that the Isle of the Blessed exists
as well. The keepers and voices of the land are accorded upon the roalm of Arcadia. In this refuge, they are
great respect and the first fruits of any harvest. forever beyond mortal contact, although it i11 5ilid th.il
The human-like faeries, the secret neighbors, are the Isle of Avalon, where King Arthur was taken at lhe
another matter. The common folk know them lo be the hour of hi5 death, is none other than the Isle of the
descendanG of gods. Such faeries are known as such Bl""".
only in parts of the world where the gn;oat pre-Christian OtherTuatha de Danann chose to stay lK"ar I.he
deities have not bee11 completely forgotten. In Germanic lands !hey knew, and drew back before mortal5 and
lands {c.ermany, Scandinavia, Denmark, t he Nethl:r­ human dvilization into dwellings under the ground.
landsl, they are known as the descendants of the Vanir. 1bey became the faeries known as the D.ioine Sldhc or
The Vanir were the "other gods," not part of the pan­ the Tylwyth Teg. Their magic has made Hibe111ia
theon of Odin and Thor, a beautiful race of gods of the {Ireland), a greatly magical place, one which is the
arts of peace, music, dance, hunting. fishing. increasing closest lo the Isle of the Blessed.
the herds and winning love. They survive In these lands Arcadia connects with Hibernia through the
as they alwaY5 have, but no longer are they known as underground dwellings of the Daoine Sidhe. The
god�. Daoine Sidhe are most powerful within all nf Hibernia,
Most faeries a-re like the Vanir; lovely, golden and diminish in power the farther they travel from their
people d� in whit e or g1ec11. They travel in the homes. To remain even this close to the mortal WC)t!d,
wind, can become invisible or insubsbntial at will, have the Daoine Sidhe haV(' given up a grl!ilt deal of�
no use for mortal goods, and control the litt--glvtng power of the godlike Tualha de Danann, bul in the
powers of sunlight, warm winds and fresh water. They middle ground between gods and mortals, they are able
love purity and generosity, reward their favorites with to keep something of both. Their commerce, If any, with
gold, topaz and fertile livestock, and punish those they the Tuatha de Danann on the Isle of the Blessed is
despise with short life, infertility or family curses. beyond human ken, but their COIJllTlel'ce wllh humanity
Some say lhat, among the faeries, none of the is well recorded and elsewhere described.
gods have entirely di�ppeared, that they all still Jive in Here the ancient tales end, and beyond is where
Arcadia, for they no longer care for the mortal world. In the idle speculation begins. Some say that among the
the far north, they �WI believe that Odin rides isl the Sidhe were those who came lo enjoy the human world
head of lhe faerie Wild Hunt, running down the lesser so much that thcy gave up much of their remaining
fa(rrjes of the woods. In the far south, they oontinue to power lo join it as the "common'' faeries of human
call upon the Gl'('('k and Roman gods, though they know lands. Milny say the!ll' faeries-without-Arcadia, the
them as faeries and not as true gods. pildes and spriggans and diminutive faeiies, are the
In Celtic lands (England, Scotland, Ireland, descendants of either the Firbolgs or the Picts, the first
Wales, frantl?), lhe pedigtee of the faeries is extensive. faeries and the first humans to walk the land. Still
The oldest stories describe these lands as peopled only others, however, say that they, like the faeries of the
by a race of terrible monsters, the Formorians. They, or wild country, simply sprang from the earth in their
their descendants, may survive as the most horrible and presrnt forms.
deformed ogttS. Waves of immigrants fought the
Formorians, say the stories, and the first vietoni were the
Flrbolgs. Their victory was short and their descendants True Nature:
rare, for thr.!y in tum were conquered by the Tuatha de
Danann. These are still the greatest of thl.' ancil'lll
Hermetic Theories
faeries, for they are beings of great sophistication and Wh.it manner of beings the Celtic Tuatl\a de
f>OWC'I'. 1he stories of their het'OC'S and their battlC'9 llre Danannand Tualha de Llyr, theGermank Vanlr,ltfld
still told, fOI' the humans who came afl'l?r them wor­ the various other Lords of faerie are has long bee10
mipp«I them as gods (before they turned lo Christian­ studied by the magi of the Order of Hermes. The only
ity). oondusive theo1y that has even bee11 widely accepted
The Firbolgs and theTuatha de Dmann were among the Order's scholars is thal the faeries are slill An
faerie, nol human, for the legends rel! that the first unknown quantity, and will likely always remain so,

10 PAERlP.S: A Complete Handbooit of the Seetle

 Since Quenda\on'sdealh, a tome entitled
MllndUS Fauruie was discovaai at lrendnia, lhe Oomus
Magnus of House Merinita. This work goes beyond the
typi<:al kgends which magus and mortal alike have
believed regarding faeries and their ilk. Soon after it
was di9COvered, this tome was attacked by the lead� of
House Merinita as part of a conspiracy to defame the
good name of Quendalon. It's defenders, however,
believe it is a brilliant picture of Arcadia composed by
Merinita her5('1f and heavily used by Quendalon before
his sojourn Into this remarkable, magical 1't'alm.
Due to political reasons, Mundus Faunsu has
been suppressed and discredited as a useful tome for
studying the fantastk, mysterious world of faeries.
Among the mem�oi Ho115C Bcmisagus, it is an object
of derision 11nd ridicule. The cream of House Merinita's
ha thinkers, however, believe it contains the dl'finitive
theories of what the true nature of faeries is and f1onl
whence tht-y really came. ln public, of oounc, most
would deny the ideas espoused by Mundus Faunat, but
the few who understand its implications wholeheartedly
believe in its truth.
The Ideas expressed in Mundus Faunae arc
stranger than the speculation of mortals and magi alike.
It is as enigmatic 11 tome as the faeries themselves, and
insist! that 11 theory of faerle5 is impossible, for one can
never fully know them. Among the young-er magi,
espeic.ally th05t' who have bea1 to Arcadia th('UlSelvcs,
lt is known that some faeries were once wor­ the theory is slowly being ao::cpted.
shipped as gods on the Earth, though wha! truly ronsti­ Most faeries were all orn.:e mortal - mortals
tutes a god is a matter for theologians. Scholars believe who have entered lhe reaJm of fay and ha\•c remilincd
that these gods were originally the fil"rcest and most there over time. They surrendered the acroulrements of
agg1esive of the faeries, and when Arcadia and the civilization and adopted a mo� natural and primitive
mortal world more closely adjolned, they could have lifestyle. 'Ille magic of the fay is the great spiritual
Indeed been conSidered gods. Some go even further and energy of nature itself, and any other power merely gels
say that all other faeries are desc<'ndents of the original in its way. This Is why Iron injures faeries so severely
gods. These gods had scores of less pDwefful descen­ and why the Faerie Aura is so incompatible with the
dants -the Celtic Sidhe, the Germanic Altar, and the Dominion.
Good Neighbors. The f<1eries who live under the hills,
Most faeries can be seat as refugees. When a
in the great forests and the lands of legend. and who
group of people SllCccssfuly l conquers a land, they push
form the general PoPUlation of faerie worlds, are
out the old lnhabilants to make mom for themselves.
thought to be degenerate gods. They are descendants of
Over time. if the conquest is truly successful, the con­
the ancient gods, of the faeries who wen.> worshiped by
querers become lhe new ''natives." Eventually, there is
the common folk - spiritually if not physically. Many
no room for such a thing as a "former native," either in
magi believe this lo be fact,. including most of House
theory or in everyday life. The only escape for lhe
Bonisagus.
conquered from the new paradigm is to enter Arcadia or
House Merlnita of the Order of Hennes is its faerie environs,
renowned (as well as respected and despised in different
The mo noth eistic religions create the same
quarters) for its vast experience wllh faerias and their
problem on a spiritual level Christianity and Islam deny
world. Merin.ita herself is said lo have left this world for
not only ti\e llCt'nSC to worship outside their paradigm,
ArL-adia. She di5ilppeared :;hortly after claimit'tg to be on
but also the idea that anything outside of their paradigm
th<! V'11'ge of discovering "the m}"tery of the eternal
even exists The believer in a religion displaced by
.

spirit of the wilds." It is said her successor, Primus

monotheism has no place to go on a spiritual plane, just
Quernialon, Sf*'lt two years in Arcadia in search of her
as a member of ii conquered people no longer has ii
and her seuets, and his return caused muchdiMension
physical place which is "thcir land." Such a pl'l'SOR
within House Merinita. (See The Orkr of Hermes sup­
plement for more inform.ation.J cannot enter Heaven, because they are an unbeliever. By

CHAPTfg Two: Nature of the fay 11

 When a person gives up their mortality, they
give up the certainty of a consistent, particular name and
shape. They give up, slowly, over lime, personal mem­
ory, per.;ona1 history, and all direct relation to the world
of realpeople and things. A real person has parenls,
children, brothers and sisters, a memory of yesterday
morning in the real world and an anticipation of tomor­
row there. A faerie does not; they may remember, but
over time they will cease to care about such memories.
When the faerie dies and is rebom i n a new farm, they
may forget completely who they once were. Eventually,
they will remember bils and pieces, perhaps even
recalling everything al !!Orne painl, but they will never
again have the emotional connection with those memo­
ries. What they onre were will be incomprehensible to
themselves, they have changed and nothing that they
were makes sense any mo�.

Faeries also give up the power to create and

change the world. Creation is tM act of bringil'lg a
dream into the real world. Faeries may be the stuff of
dreams, but the power to make anything real is lost with
their own reality. The worlds they inhabit arc like
children's storybooks - since it has already happened,
it can't be changed. An archaeologist. finding iron
artifacts at an unusually early date, can insert iron into
the real Bronze Age - it wa1; there, we jusl didn'l know
thc same logic, however, they cannot go lo a Hell they
it. But putting iron into the Legendary Bronze Age ls
do not believe exi:;ts. 11\cir own beliefs have bee11
another matter. It is like bringing cars into a Wl'Stem
rescinded, like their right lO a country, by fiat. movie; changing the story lakes creativity, otherwise, it
This kind of rewriting of the world hils hardest just doesn't fil, it's nol right. Faeries are desperate for
those people who had a special pl.are in th(" old world. those who can keep their OWl'I storylands fresh and alive
To a certain e.>etcnt, a farmer in the old world ls like a by bringing about new stories. These people have
fanner in the new. A king or queen without a country, become the dreams the faeries ha"-e longed for. Only a
however, or lesser nobles without a ruler, priests with· mortal can tell the tale or add to the one that is alre.-idy
out a religion, or warriors without a leader, are lost being told.
people. They no longer have real lives in the l\<!W ''real''
The oldest faeries who entered Arcadia land­
world.
scapes in ancient times arc quilt' blzarre to more recent
Such people have few options. Theycan try 10 peoples. They may hilve been hunters who �me
Jive on il5 walking anachronisms, or they can desert the sepeiated from their tribe-, but were ''adopted" by the
fll'W world to which they do not belong. Desc-rtc>rs have nature spirits. Such faeries have been separatl'd from
two possible destinations. They can work tht,>mselvcs society for so many centuries, and ha1re such a roreign
into the cracks of the new world, hiding in remote places ancesby, that they bear little resemblance to mortills
and in ancient occupations wherefragmen� of the old anvmore. Other faeries seem as bizarre as some un­
world can persist. There, they become something small, kn�wn people from the other side of the world mighl to
quick and quiet, an expert at deception and disguise, at local eyes.
blending in with the land or disappearing. Or they c:in
The most recenl peoples of Arcadia hauni and
\eave the real world altogether and venture into the
are haunted by the memories of the mortal� they sUll
realm Arcadia.
uncomfortably resemble and of the past they are slowly
All thal ends up being left of displaced peoples forgetting. Such new faeries are very dangerous, not by
are words and legends. The Iegc1\ds are usually more their incomprehensibility, but by their very proximi1y.
thrilling. noble, and pawerful than lhelr real \;ves in the They may still hold a gnidge against !ho� who l"<'"­
old world could evl'I" have bec11. Many of tm- survivor.I semble their mortal conquerors. They may still want
of old worlds would choose to walk back into those nonnal rood. They may want real rattle or real children.
((g;;orads, evl'fl at the cost of giving up reality. They The-disadvantages of being faerie (thal is to be "unreal")
would enter the legendary past or join the realms of the aren't always dear until you become such. They may be
their gods. Becoming a dream means only giving up a envious, or angry, or want to go back to their l'orml'T
life who$e best pieces are already gone. lives. Such faeries are feared as people k'ar ghcsls.

12 PAfil:1�s: A Complete: Handbooil of the Seelle

 Not all faeries, however, were once mortals. A
faerie Ethics
very few were, and still are, true spirits of nature; lhey
are rompletiely non-human thif\V and do not have a Faeries have a morality all thC'ir own which is
human nature. Their nature is of rock, or earth, or plant, quite alien from the Christian variety. Their mortality
or beast, or air, or water, or something unguess� and has no direct correlation with the ways of respectable
unguessable. Faeries without human nature or human humanily, yet it does have its own internal logic. Each
fonn are unaffected by intrusions into human stories - faerie realm is different, as is each faerie, thC'refore there
iron, religioussymbols and bells mean nothing to them. is no one code of ethics for all of them (just ;is there Is
They are vulnerable only to whatever would destroy not one single code for all of humaniiy). Each facril.'
their nature. Some faeries, like the fates, seem to have interprets It tn different ways, and certain ethics may not
been neither mortal nor good. but exist nevertheless as apply to them all equally.
bei1tgs more related to humanity than to anything else. The most important part of faerie ethics is the
Finally, some human-like faeries seem to exist giving of one's word. Faeries always kC'Cp thC'ir word. If
wilhout deriving from anyone who physically entered they promi:ie !iOmething. they will hold lo it. However,
Arcadia or from nature itself. It may be that if a human they often, e:;;�-cially if they have malice in mind, hold
being c.an become a faerie. then a piece eof mortal creativ­ to the exact letter of the promise which ran be of great
ity sufficiently powerful enough. or catchy, or lucky, or discomfort if the promise was poorly worded. In
properly contrived. might bcrome a faerie as well - if addition, humans who btc.lk their promises to faeries
the shadow of Arcadia was c:lose enough al the time, will be singled out for special malice due W the great
that is. Such a faerie could be anything. What might value of promlscs 11mong faeries. Being creatul'C!l of
come from great temples or castles would be very magic, the binding of a faerie to i ts word is as much a
diffl.'rent from the tavern where every dumb joke or off. magical binding as it is a moral one; faC'ries not only
color story was jovially related by genera tions of refuse lo brl.'ak thC'ir word, they arc totally uncapablc Qf
drunkl!n mortals. doing so. 'Tbis kind of magical limit applies to all
a.spects of faeril' morality. Because Qf this limit, faC'ries
do not give their word lightly.
Ont? consequence of thC' importance of promises
to faeries is that thl.'y always keep bargains they make
with motta.ls and e>.-pect morlals to do the same. Fair­
nC'SS and rep.iymc>nt are very important to f.il.'ries. If yo11
deal wcll with faeries, you will certainly be rewarded,
while those who deal ill with faeries will be rrwarded in
a different manner. However, whenever you recl.'iVe
something from the faeries, you must ncvrr thank tl1C'm
for it. If you do, you may drive them into a rage, or they
may simply never deal with you again. The reason for
this is not clear, but it may be that the faerie takes the
''thank you'' to be> its repayment rather th3n a more fair
material n:'payment, or perhaps as an al tempt to get it in
debt to you again. While faeries should nol be thanked,
there is no prohibition against praising their gifts and it
,

is often a good idea,

Remembt>r that while faeries keep their bargains
thC'y have made with mortals, they can and do steal .

Also, while faeries must keep their word, !hey can lie in
other circumstances. When dealing with laeril-s, !hl.'re
arl.' a number of traits faeries value highly and oth!'rs
which they despise. Neatness and gent'rosily arc almost
univeNaily praised by al l but the most malicious fat'ril.'S.
while slovenlinl.'ss, stinginess, excessive religious piety,
and dishonesty are all despiSC'd by the fdc>ril":I. In
addition, th(' faeries value their pri\ acy greatly. and
·

thm;e who spy upon faeries or intrude on thc>ir pri\·acy

in other ways are likely to be the target of some horrible
rctriburion. Fat>ries place great store in tht• rult-s of
hospitality and th!.' treatment of guests. lnvit<'d guests c1f

CHAPTER Two: Nature of the fay ,,

faeries will be treated with respect and will not be ill­ given, a relationship can last for the lifetime of the
treatcd. Even Invited guests, however, can receive mortal and, if the mortal Is willing to forever leave th�
hom'ble treatment from the faeries if they break any of mortal world and enter Arcadia, !hey can li\-e forcwr
thcir rules. with their faerie love in a garden of great beauty and
Fatility is of great importance to faeries and bounty. A faerie who loves a mortal is able to live
they are not reluctant to ask questions about a person's anywhere in the Dominion as long as they are loved 11'1
�:rual life or what children lhey have born. Because return; and as long as the mortal holds true lo some
most faeries cannot therm;elves have children, it Is of promise they made to the faerie, such as: ''I wil l never
great interest to them, indeed it might be said to be one rep1oach you as to your origin." lf their love ever falls,
of the few things which they truly hold sacred. Those or if the promise is broken, their faerie spouse will
who do not engage in sexual activity are sren as some­ instantly dlsappear never to return.
what deranged and possibly even as dangerous by the Another important characteristic of faeries,
faeries. To purposely withhold one's self from such a which is perhaps in part due to their immortality, is the
basic pleasure is unthinkable. Therefore, faeries lake importance placed on ti:adition by faeries. In many
any "lOrt of tt')L"Ction of their offers of interrour.ie very ways, fae:tks mimic the way humans lived in earlier
bitterly. limes. Faeries often wear archaic clothing, do not uw
iron, and those who fann grow barley a!> their only
� Di/ferflra Between Faerhs Rnd Demons grain. {Barley was the oldest grain cultivated in Ell·
rope.) This cultural lrumla may also in part ('l(p]ai11
Jn syri1/xJ/ic tf'nllS. the difference is grttt.t. faerie morality, like the virtue of hospitality IO gueslS,
Frieries repment human weakno's, they represent lhe which was of great importance in earlier timl!s. Their
gtving 111 lo our desires, uur wru.l:ntsses fi;r fi.11efood,
annor, weapons and dwellings recall an earlier age.
dril'lk, elc. Faeries are the will to hatitfurl, to enjay
While faeries tend to dislike mortal charge and
life, lo delve into /he ex� of life.
innovation, they are not unappreciative of mortal
Fwies live for whatever mome11t5 of t'llplure
creativity, especially in the realms of m\15ic and poetry.
they can find 11nd they live evay l!l!Cond llli if II wai;;
Words and mum are of great magical significanre to
rM /asl .s«ot'fd they would f'tJf!r live. F11eries find ii
£aeries. The magical power of faerie music to causes
hard to underslllnd morlals who 4o not livt in the
mortals to lose !rack of time and lo dance themscl1fC5 IO
present 11nd who 4o 11l!I unJnst11nti the imp!lrlan.·tof
eithaustion. However, faeries are creatures of imitatioo
the t11joying /kt rtlplure of� mmrn-nt. Some
and illusion, not of creativity, and human creativity,
furies 4(1 rwt � cmtSidersuch morl#/s to b<: alive.
especially when It involves words or music, is a won­
Ontht Cither luind. Demon.� 11rt the inlellecli.al drous and powerful thing.
aa:qital'!Ct Cl{ttril, the cognitive act of doing some"
Faeries often entice away or even kidnap human
thing that we know Iv be wro11g. This sorf ofevil
poets and musicians as well as dancers and othc-r artists.
«1f11ily is truly dill/xJ/ic,fvr it is not done owl 11/
Characters with Free Expression and a high level of skill
bodily wea.biess but out of an essenti11/ greed, a liasic
in art, music or some s!mJlar ability who visit the faeries
and fund11mental egotism.
should be careful about showing off their abilities.
lri pr11ctiai/ tenns, there is liltle similarity tithtr. CEditnr's note: This may be why some of the leading
Faeries 111.re not evil, nol l!!Jen the U>ISe!?f� court, 11nd magi of House Merinita disappear from time to time -
lztwt nothing lo do with Hetroen or Hell. F�ts do they are so in touch with the faerie world, that they are
rwl 1rRvt souls 11nd are not irilensted in a11d ue not unabteor unwilling to return to the mortal world.I
mtde" parl r;1f lite etemsl Wllr belwm1 good ""' tvil. While human creativity can impress faeries, and possi­
They live � Ille two polar extrema and 11re bly make them more kindly disposed, it can also cause
gmmlly ignored by lxith. them to want to keep such interesting folk around fur a
long time. Unlike Free Expression, the mystic virtue of
Perhaps because of lheir interest in fertility, they Enchanting Music is a oommon ability for faerie5 and
are rather wanton in their own conduct and are very people with faerie blood. Faeries will reoognize It .Ind
friendly towards potential lovers. However, they are are not likely to be effected by it. In fact, most faerie
known for losing interest in mortal loVt'l'S q11kkly, music is enchanting to mortals by its very nature.
feeling lhem to be unequal to faerie lovm. II a mortal
falls in love wllh a faerie, the faerie rrway Ix- over·
whelmed by the power of the mortal love. Faeries are faerie Laws
usually unable to love, but faeries with empathy are able
The following are some basic ruJes of faerie th.I.I
are known to mortals. They can som� be learned
to return any love which they are givm. Such love is
considered the most precious as well as the most hann­
by reading special books, talking to special people, or by
NI gift a mortal can give a faerie. When such a love is
trial and error in Arcadia. Faeries themselves lend to

14 FA.l!RIES: A complete Handbooll of the Seelte

either see these rules as incredibly obvious or are totally commit is to claim knowledge lJf the illusory nature of
un..ware of the way in which they always obey them. all that is faerie.
Outside of Arcadia, Glamour that is seen and
understood for what it is no longer exists to the one> who
I. APPEARANCBS ARE EVERYTHING
sees through it. Within Arcadia, Glamour 'iC'E'n through
The greatest (!Cme say the only) power of faeries remains. It may be reality a magus or bishop sees behind
is Glamour. This is not quite the same thing as illusion. the Glamour, but that t<'ality functions as an illusion.
Glamour is illusion made real. An illusory chair is a Any Glamour seen through in Arcadia appears in its
phantom; you will fall to the floor if you try to sit in it. A ''real'' form when Arcadia is left behind. Any Glamour
Glamour of a chair is solid. It lasts ai. long as the faC'ries
not seen through may remain when the ordinary world
are nearby, or as long as the faerie who created the
is reached. Faeries seen through disappear from that
Glamour l� nearby, or until a faerie gcts tlrl"d of it and part of the ordinary world whcre their Glamour was
changes it into something else, or until it is seen through
penetrated. In Arcadia, however, one of two things
by magic or true faith. Since real illusions are a touchy
occurs. F.lther the person seeing lhrough the faerie can
thing, mortals have to decide the conditions under
no longer Sl.'llSC' the faerie's presence (but can still be
whidi a Glamour wilt last, arid whether all the wealth,
affected by them), or they see the f.aeril''s ''true'' shape.
power, and glory of the faerle5 are true or Illusory. Ordinary people may be struck mad or bestowed with a
Glamour Is real to mortals in Arcadia.
faerie power. and magi may undergo Twilight.
Gener11lly, if you can get to Arcadia in the first
place, whcther or not it is real is a moot point. When you
MC entering and leaving. however, Glamour has a lot lo 2. EVERYTHING THArs MINE IS MJNE.
do with the condition in which you and your posst's­ EVERYTHING THAT'S YOURS IS MINE. TOO.
sions enter and emerge. Animals are variously affected
Faeries are bound to their po!>5CS5ions. In a \'ery
by Glamo11r. The dullest of them will be unaffected by it real way, their characteristic possessions are part of
at all. Those more intelligent may be hopelessly con­ them, for they arc part of !he form they have taken.
fused by mixed information, and will not function well Unless a chara<"lcristi<" possesis on is ritually unbound
in Arcadia. Truly dome5tiC animals 11re used to accepting from the faerie's form, it goes back to thC'I11 when they
someone el5e's n>ality, and will generally respond to change shape. Human possessions are very simple in
Glamour as their master Indicates, regardless of whether faerie eyes. Hum.ins have many things. None of these
or not they believe it is n-al, The same holds true (or an.> bound to them, so they are not important parts. of the
faerie animals in the ordinary world. human. Human homes, farms, and towns are giant
No one knows whether faeri� themselves see faerie markets wl1ere everything can be had for free.
GL:imour as completely real llT completely illusory. Some Gcnl'rosity is ont' of the maj:lr good human qualities.
say they are made of Glamour themselves. They are &>ing upset over the loss of something that is not part of
aware of Glamour's relationship to illusion, however. you is nonsensical at best, and equivalent to giving
The most 5t'rious violation of faerie law a mortal ("an something. away and den1anding it back at worst.

CHAPTER Two: Nature of the fay IS

 spt'd..al qualities attributed to them - earth, plants,
animals, beer, bread, precious metals and stones, and so
on. DuJI or base objects seem to causc them difficully ­
Nse metal&, !>tones and the simple works of mankind,
for they have little spiril. Perhaps faeries seek in a simple
child's toy the same spirit as that which elevates a
golden goblet above a ti11 cup, or in a bowl of Ct"real the
breath which causes the rising of bread. What is known
is that faeries excel in the most difficult and uncertain
arts, while often seeming helpless to master the most
basic skills of making and mending.
Since, to them, everything contains a spirit,
objects are as responsible for their actions as animals or
people. A faerie struck by a stone is likely to ht> as angry
at the slDne as at its thrower. They consider iron 10 be
mon." their enemy than their weaknes5, and the black·
smith a master responsible for his pupil's conduct. For
ail their profidl'llcy with mortal spirits, howcwr, the
Church maintaiM that faeries are unabl(' to affccl thC'
immortal human soul.

4- THE LAWS Of SIMILAllITY MUST

ALWAYS BE OBSERVED.
Certain non-hermetic magi know the art of With the faerie, nothing is without cause. The
binding a possession to a perwn so that the faeries will mundane causes of natural law - that water always
acknowledge its Qwnership. People often bind their most nins downhill, thal striking one's hand results in paln -
troasured poss.essions lo 1he11celi.-es in a similar fashion, are irTelevanl, and may not operate at all in Arcadia. l t is
wilhoul knowing it. Faeries view the theft of such a essential causes, the tnic nature of relationships. that
possession, or of any of the po55essiuns charactcristlc 10 always hold ll'ue. fust as the Helianthus, the' flow('r
the form they are in, as a deliberal€' attempt to steal part which most resembles the sun, is the herb with the
of the owner's life forre. A faerie's characteristic posses­ strongest solar properties, so the faeries, who place night
sion� may be 11s limited as a Hower in a �-prlte's hair, or before day, value silver (the meta.I of the moon) above
as extensive as a faerie queen's castle and evC'rything in
gold (the meial of the sun). The castle of the Green
i I.
Knight must be S<'arChC'd for in the greencst places (th<'
As a rule, faeries have few scruples about taking forest and the sward) and may never be found in a
any mortal goods, or any belongings po:;scssed by a desert, lake or mount.i.in of ice. Urziffil, a rnagus of
visitor to their roalms. They take what thC'y wish, and House Merinlta, ha:o; !!lated, that in faerie places, since
they often wish lo l3kc whatever they see. It is unwisE­ the bottom of lakes and SNS are a kind of solid ground,
to take a treasured belonging into a faerie forest. the waler above is like the sky above the earth, bmJth·
Though a faerie will ce1•ainly let a mortal tal<.e from able and full of all kinds of fish, like every kind of bird.
them, they dn not like mortals to take from the forest Legend hoJd:o; that <'very gn-al stone circle in the world,
itself, for they undeistand how much "harv�ing" will being alike by the laws of faerie, is connected to every
eventually harm the aura of the fol'C'St. If a mortal steals other. Faerie paths connect what is alike, says the story,
from them, they may punish them severely. This makes and it is possible to walk into the circle at Stonehenge
hunts for raw tois wilhln the faerie realm very dangerous. and out at Avebury ring. The knight Louis ParCow, who
was known to have faerie blood, used the hare as his
device. It Is WC'll known thal he mysteriously fell ill and
3. EVERYTHING IS ALIVE.
died after his C'ncmy f<'an de Bretaigne trapped an
Lif<' doesn't depend on flowing blood or a beating unusually large hare on his hunting ground. It is thCSC'
heart. Life is the presence of a spirit, and all things hav11 true correspondences that the faeries must obey, even as
spirits. Faeries have form and solidity in the physicaJ we must obey natural law.
world becam;e they desire it, and faerie Glamour makes
their desires real. If a rock or a shoe had no animating
spirit 11.'1 desire form and solidity, il would not f'Xist at all
in Arcadia. In the mortaJ world, faeries undC'rstand and
affect best those things which contain llf<', or have

16 fAE!llES: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

CHAPTf_D Two: Nature of the fay 17
 .;,, Chapter Three: The faerie
Realm
The areas of the world where faeries live and maintain their power are knowri as
faerie realms, or as faerie places. They are usually in isolated areas, far from civilization,
though they are not completely unreachable by mortals. Because;- the faerie realm is an
inherently magical place, it tends to be unusual in appearance,
often violating physical laws by its very natur.:o. FtlT example, a
faerie wood amidst a natural wood may retain a spring like
appearance even in the dead of winter, 1vhen the s11rrounding
forest is bare of leaves.
The faerie realm can be considered part of the CO\'iron�
of Arcadia; it is not a part of Arcadia but there is always a connl'C­
tion with it somt>Whcre, though b)' no means is there always an
open gateway or a path between the two. The magical potency of
a faerie place is derived from its pro:<imity to Arcadia. ;ind
, typically the closer the correspondence to An:adia the more potent th(' aura is.
,I I,
\ The faerie realm exists in many diffen.'111 regions and places, b11t most locations
are found in woodlands, deep forests, ponds and caves. Most mortal� will be aware that
they are entering a faerie pldC<' becau� of a noticeable chang<' in sct.'nl'ry (�'.g. the sudden
abundance of bright flowers, or the presence of unusual sounds or music). Some faerie
places are not as obvious, and are only noticeable to those with Faerie Sight or Faerie
Blood. Faeries are naturally distrustful of mortals and may do what they can to kC'C'p
them from entering their domain. Some particularly powC'rful faerie places (Faerie Aura
of 5 or morel may have some fonn of supernatural protection against niorta!s, such as an
invisible barrier. This can be dispelled by the faeries if the mortals arl' knc•wn to be
friends (or if the faeries wish to entrap the mortals in their land!).
Faerie places throughout the world are disappearing. This is !argl•ly due to the
influence of the Dominion. which is continually elepanding as the pcas.111ts chop down
more and more forests to expand their fields. The mol'l" civilized a region is. thl.' more
d!ffi�·ult it will be lo find a faerie place within that rf:'Sion.
Described below are some of the more common types of f<K'n(' places. It should
be stressed that individual examples of such places will differ widl.'ly. Try !o make each
Faerie plaet> in your saga unique in some special y,·ay.

18 fAEfllES: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

 Faeries can live outside of the faerie realm, it level is physically real by itself, though somewhat
even seems Impossible for faeries to live full time in an different from the rest. The highest level is most re­
area with a Dominion ol 3 or more. While they may moved lrom lhe mundane world and has thc highest
appear in a strong Dominion area on nights when. the aura. There, the spring would bt' as the faeries made it,
Faerie Aura blooms, no faerie is able to stay active all the perhaps with a low, engraved marblt' wall surrounding
time - while the Dominion is dominant, they sleep the spring and a fountain in thC> middle. A level lower
within the wood of 11 tree or inside the ground. U the would find tlu.-aun reduced and the spring less noticea­
Faerie Aura isn't poWNful enough to dominate the bly faerie in origin, with the engraving faded and the
Dominion al least one night a year, then the faeries will marble wall looking more bke a jumble of ro.::ks. The
diSlppear. Almidy ma.ny dty folk do not believe fn the Jov.est level would be the mundane world, with no aura
exis1ence of fae1i<s (though everyone generally accepts and the spring just a plain spring with 4 few rocks
that faerie forests do exist.) because of the power of the strewn about its edges.
Dominion within thedty. People and cre<tlutts normally exisc on one
level at a time within a rtgio, completely independentol
the other levels. Exceptionally powtmul beings might
cast shadows across a few adjacent levels, and gross

All of the area within a faerie place radiates a physical happenings on the mundane 11;'vel can affect
Faerie Aura, which ls called 11 regio. Faerie Aura is the higher level s. If, for example, someone destroyed the
magic of the faerie realm, and allows unusual phenom­ spring in the mundane world, the highest level's spring
ena to occur, such as stable wi:!!lther, strange plant might begin to dry up. Ukewise, if a faerie tore apart
growth, and even fleeting Illusions. Faeries themselves the marble wall in the highest level, the rocks might
use this power lo replenish their own Faerie Might, move or dlsapp!.'ar from the mu11dane level.
which allows them to perform magical feats. For this One way to picture a regio Is to imagine a
reason, faeries art> usually weaker outside a faerie place. series of thin magiral layers slacked upon each other in
However, some are aware of the nature of vis and are increasing order of strength. The layers rest on the
abli;: to transport enchanted objects with them outside of mundane world with the highest stf'l'ngth aura layer at
their realm, thus drawing power from the:ie objects until the top. Each successively higher layer is smaller then
the faeries return. Mortals who take enchanted items the one below it. Thus, a person wishing to travel from
from a faerie plaet? run the risk of being pursued into the lhe mundane world to the highest level would cross into
mortal world by such !'aeries who consider the theft of the lowest level, then the nt>xf lowest and so on until
vis the same as the theft or a piece of their soul (although they reached the level with the highest aura. Or, they
in some cases, magi have been able to purchase the vis, may fail to enter" one of the highc.-r lc>vcls ;ind remain on
or have bt"CJ• given it a$ a gift). a level somewhere in the middle.
The Faerie Aura, as demlbed in this supple­ Arcadia can be considered the. highest level of a
ment, differs SOn'K'what from lhe explaMtlon given in ttgtO, but unlike the olher levels, ii ex1ends aC'l'OSS the
Ars Magicai itself. The areas or F;wrie Aura within the entitt earth. You mn only get to ATC"adia by traveling
faerie realm are very similar lo "nonnal" magical through regio which eventually connect to a place with a.
regions in that they havt' a strength, rated one through Faerie Aura of lcn. But once you are in Arcadia, it
ten, and are associated with a particular power; either doubles back over the same expanse, and stretches oul
Faerie or Magical (there are no Divine or Infernal over the whole earth, t>ven In places where thCll' is
Regions within the foxes!). The regio are tied lo, but Dominion in the real Mrlh.
separate from, the mundane world. &gio of great
power, like a faerie mound, are far removed from the
world we know, while regic of lesser power are similar R<?llio In Play
to. but have slight diffeT't'fl<"es wilh, the mundane world. This section provides specific information about
By way of clarifying what a regio is, let us look regio and gives the rules for tht>lr creaHon so that you
at a magical faerie spring. Uslrg the st;indard rules, this may populate your faerie realm with reyio of ym1r own.
spring would have an aura of three to fivc depcnding on
its importance to !he area. Players could wander about
and find this spring If tht>y searched longand hard Creating' ReqJo
enough. The faeries might hide the spring wifh illusions
Regio a� associated with 11 power and have a
or mislcad the humans' senses, but thr- spring's actual strength rating from one to ten. Each indivldual rtgW is
physical nature would not change.
made up of one or more levels, typically one level for
The same spring und� these new rules, now each level of aura. However, fl.'l'I fll.'C to CTi'ale regio
exists on several interconnected but separate levels of with greater or fewer levels If you dt'Sire.
differingauroJ strengths that oa:upY lhe ';lime space. Each

CHAPTER THREE: The Paerk: Realm 19

 Once you have decided the power, sb'mgth, and rtgio. Many things can modify this roll, depe.tlding upan
number of levels for your reyio, draw an overall map the individual situation. Characteristics, virtues ilnd
showing the boundaries uf each k!vel. When finished it flaws, personality trait§ and abilities may all help or
should look !IOml?thing like a rontoUT map, with each hinder the attempt. A person tracking something that
boundary clearly labeled with its strength for easy gocs into a rtgio may add their Per + Tracking to their
reference. Don't wony too much about the exact mll, for example. A short table of sample modifiers ls
loca.tions of the contours; they're magic after all and can pxcscnted below.
wander about depei1ding on the time of year, the phase
of the moon, or your whim. See the end of this section
E:umrili Gratia: Enlering Regio
for a sample map of a regio.
R6brrt the UIOOdcutter wanders thn:11.1gh the
The next step is to decide physically what the
forest a/I the time, normally in broad daylight. Ewry
regio looks like at its two exhen£s -in the level with time he eras-es a level one boundary, he must ch«k to
the highes.t aura and in the mundane world. Remember
see i/ he mlers it or remains in the mundane wotld.
that the levels are related and that important phyMcaJ
On a normal aMtumn day. he mllkes a slrtss roll of8+
objects in the highest level should cast a mundane
(6 + 2:ca lettcl of one! to ml"1", with his d� rull
"'shadow" in the normaJ world and vice Vt'rsa. Detailing
"'odified !iy-9 (·3 fer autumn, -3 for dQylighl, 11nd
levels other lhan the highest and lowest is usually
tire Storyguide detenni111!S his ,hanns are good /Cir -
unnecessary, as the levels in between areslmply steps 3). Thus, " long 11s R6bert stay.i away from l!re
between the two extremes. If your players decide to fore:sl cm pagan holidays, du$, dawn <md nichttime,
explore a level you haven't detailed, slmply look at the
he shouldn't have any troubl�.
two el<lrl'mcs of the rtgio (the mundane and the highest
level), and create a level that lies somewhen> between, Her�·s aMther exam11le: A Prince 11/ Faerie
having 90tne of the characteristics of both. (with Faerie Might 40) leaves his regio on
Midsummer's Eve and cham:es upon a beautiful
maiden. He takes a walk with her and without ht!r
NotlclDIJ lleglo .bwwing it, wishes to tab her back lo tltt Htirrl of
Faerie (auro stmgth JO)_ The modifim arc +10 pr
To notice the fact that you have left the mundane Midsummer's Er1e, +J foT Su1lfflu, l +20 for Ins help
world and are traveling in a regW requittsa base roll of (half his Faerie Migit I of 4V) arul +3 /vT lk phase of
Per + Afca lore (or Faerie Lore, if applkablel of 10+. lhf: moon. fora lt1/al of+J6. He needs to lxwl "" 8+
Add the aura of the level you are in to your roll. For to enter thefirs/ ltve/, Ihm a 12+, 16+, 22+ and
example, if you wander into a level one rtgi(I, you would
finally11 26-t to gel her all the lRl!r' to Fame ra�70$$
add one to yoUT roll ,and ifyou enl!?R'd a lewl ten regio, thf: boundaries of level 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10). Our
you would add ten to your roll . Be subtle about success­ Prince shouldn't have any 1-n:rnble unless he butches.
ful mils, es�ially if it W<lS for a low-level regio. De­
The girl will probably nolice something is amiss
scribe how the light seems different, the colors brighter,
before he has taken her toofar, howerJtr (ser
the air swl!l?ter, !hat the characte1s feel watched, or any ''Noticing Regio"'), unless he take; care to keep her
number of small details that will give it away slowly.
distrot:led.
Players may also feel a slight tingle or shiver go up their
spine whenever they m>ss a boundary. id's Sl1!f that thegirl wakt:s up tM nat nwrnins
11.nd wishes lo lt!tWe by kmelf. She needs 10 roll a
26+ lo lttWe lhehighrst lroel (what she ne.eskd to get
EnterlDIJ lleglo in}, modified by +9 r +3 for summer, +5 fvr ®w11,
arid +1 for somefamiliarity /from 11 grnerol6
Mtisl bcing:i. unlCSli they are nallve to a Sturyguidef), Looks tike she'll be wandering fvr a
particular rtgio, cannot travel freely fto111 level to level. while unless shegets lucky and rolls a lot of �l's''
Crossing from the mundane world to lhe lowest level in
a regio often happens accidentally, especially during
special times of the year like Midsummer'' Eve when One can enter 11 rl!gio either accidentally or
the Faerie Aura ls particulaTJy bright. However, nor­ deliberately. E:icamples of accidental entrance to a regio
mally it requires a strong will, a -subconscious dC5ire, or include: foUowing or ll'acking a being who entm ii rqio,
knowledge of the boundary or magic 10 help one across. or unknowingly being helped into one by a faerie or
Higher levels within a rrgio can be quite difficult to other magical creature. When a player come$ to a
enter, as you must work yuur way from leveJ to level border acddenlally, simply have them roU a &lr'eu die
upward to t"eaCh them. plus any modifiers th.iii see111 pertinent U they fail, they
remain in the mundane world ilnd shouldn't notice
The bue cNnce to enter any level is two times
the level being .mtercd plus six, e,g. you need an 8+ to anything strange unless they were tracking someone;
then the tracks might disappear in lo thin air. If the
enter level one of a regio, and a 26+ to enter level 1en of ii
player succt'Cds, thc.>y may notice slight differe11ccs in

.. FAERIES: A Complete Handboolil of the Seelle

 their !lllnoundings and the mundane world (see leading to a lower level, they must ro11 a she plas 2x. the
"Notidng Regio''), Once in the 1owest level of the regio, it level lhey ore trying lo lt11Ve. Modifiers to the die roll are
is entirely J>OSSlble fur them continue lo the next level opplied as nonnal. &.>ings who unsuocessfully tJy to
and so on. Each time the person comes to a boundaiy lo leave a level will find themselvr;os incxpliably doubling
the next highC!lt level, roll lo see if they enter it as well. back on their tracks and all paths or trails will lead in
It is possible to work to the highest levels of a rtgio In circles to keep the players within the regio. II is possible
this manner, though highly unlikely. for someone to become trapped in a high level of a 1egi11
Players may also Ir)' to enter regiodeliberatcly. when they UngCI' too long. A person may find it easy lo
Th� procedure for entering is the same, except that they enter a high level of a regio on Midsummer's Eve and
will probably use spells or some other means to aid their find It difficult to leave the next morning. A common
cause. The Storyguide will have to judge the cffectiv� faerie Irick is k> aid an unwitting mortal into a high aura
ness of their preparations on a case by case basis. level, then leave them there to find their own way out.
Possible methods include: willing oneself into t� regio Fortunately, f.teries soon tire o( mortals blundering
(requiring cona!ntration or meditation rolls to recclve a about in thl.'ir realm and often lead them out before too
bonus), saying certain arcane phrases or using channs much damage is done.
leamed from books ar learned JX!Ople, hying 10 attract Some regiD, however, have a mystical charm that
faeries to help in their endeavor, or using spont.anrous may ntake ii difficult for people to leave of lhc.>ir own
Muto or Rego Vim spells. Be sure to take in to account volition. Usually, this C?ffect is restricted to the highesl
the time of day, season, and any previous encounters level of a powerful re&io and not all people will feel its
with the 'egio. effects. When a party enters the highest level of an
appealing rtgio that has an aura of eight or more, the
Storyguide should carefu lly consider the demeanor or
Leaving Re�lo each £haracter as well as noting the actions and reactions
The rules for leaving a • are basically the same as of each charactC?r kt the ngia. If any characters .54lC?Dl
for entering t�'TTI. When a being comes to a boundary naturaTiy drawn toward or fascinated by thl' area, those

Regio/Side View
Regio/Top View
Note lhat
objects occupy
the sa1ne space
on the Mundane
Plane as well as
Arcadia and yet
on both , and
all, levels they
n1ay have a
radically
different
appearance.
-

CHAPTER THllEf: The faerie Dealm

 characters must mAke a personality roll that equals or ately less negative for other predominantly Qristian
beats the level of the regio in order to leave. E;wnples of Holidays.
pel'30nality tTaits that add to the die roll are loyal, TJmeofOay-
reliable, distrustful and practical. Examples of pt'l'SOnal·
+8 for a full moon, dC1wn lo no bonus for no
lty traits that subtract from the die roll are easily
moon.
charmed, gullible, curious and low ol nature. 11te
Storyguide wiU have to detetuJne which pet"90flillity +S fur dusk or dawn.
traits apply (as well as any other modifiers dl'emccl +3 for nighUime.
necessary) on a ca&e by case basis. -3 for daytime.
-5 for high noon.
E:umpli CrtJti• Weather-
.c CJli 1"indel merre1S11ry, 11n4 Date1,
Rollo, 11 .,,,.ti •lto +S for fog or mist.
II gamdous bcmi, wert pint-led 4PUJ fi,,J th�
•3 for rain.
dap iri tlu! H�rt ofFIZtrie (tlMru strength 10). Al
they discuss what to do, the Storygllide notes thol, Previous Knowledge -
whik RDllo S«mS anxious to /owe I/le strange Uind, +1 to +10 for familiarlly wilh the regio (previous
Dexter lingers and RJ'PtlU$ enamored with foerles, visits, reading about it in book,., etc.). A good rule oi
The Storygui4e ashfor a stress roll from Datu to thumb is +1 for the first \.'isit, and an additional +1 for
ii« f
i ht! ain � think. uflatuing the />tsJltifu/ rcgio. every lwo visits thereafter- Hi a maximum of+10.
Dcxter�stl 10+ (beanzse t/leawra ls fl!Vt:l 10) to Help from others -
ltave his choice ln the matler. To this roll is added his
variable (+ or -) for the aid or hindrance of a boing
prrsona/ity trait of Feu of the Unk,,own,+2.
who is native to tht' regio and can travel through it freely.
Dater rolls a 7 + 2 for a wtlll of 9; aPJe less tkiDI he
Most beings can add or subtract up to half of their might
needs. The SturygWJe i'ff/omfs Du/er lhat he really,
really lot'tS Faerie tind lu&s no desi� to limit.
{i
score to another's aucmpl to 0'05� over <>Wt'T this to
one quarter If the being is entering a strange T?gio).
Rollo dtridts to I� on his own and tlrt
Char.actmstiai -
Storyguide dtcislt'JS thlil this regio s
i so dwmirig
that it even hlu a clumce ufcaptt.1ring the heart ofa +Per for finding the boundary or following !IOIJ\eone
stout rnercenary. Rollo rolls 11 7 + J ({or 11 reliable through •ta distance.
fnlit of +3) 11nd gtl$ a 10-ht iust 11111141 ,ges lo s1take Vlrtu�1 and flaws -
off the wrgt to stlly. +J for faerie Blood or Faerie Upbringing (f).
+J for Magic Susceptibility {M).
Modifiers for Enterinq +5 tor Susceptibility to Faerie Aura (F).
or Leav� Re�io +5 for Simple-minded.
-6 for Withstand Magic.
This table lists the most mmmon things lhat can
modify a per.;on's chanc:e of entering or leaving a rtgio. Uaefu.I Abilities -
It is by no means complete and is meant only as a Awareness Talents, Magic Sensitivity, Visions,
guideline for possible modifiers. Individual Storyguldes Track, Conrontrallon, Magic Theory, (Arca) Lore, Faerie
will often have to make judgment calls on a case by case Lore, Legend Lore.
basis. An (F) or (M) following the description indicates Uidul Techniques and Forms -
lhe bonus is only good for Faerie or Magic.111 �
?nt�llcgo Vim (for finding), Rcgti or Muto Vim
f'l.'Sp«tively. Remember that these bonuses add or
(for entering).
subtract from the die roll, not the number 1'11.'eded ro beat
to enter the rrigia. Emotiona-

Season or Partlcular Day­ varl•ble (+) - Strong feelings of loss, sadness, fear,
or desperation may cause the spirit of the Earth Mother
-5 for Winter.
to try and comfurt the being by drawlng thc.>m to her.
-3 for Autumn. Also, !lOmeone with ii IOV(" or nature may find it easier to
+3 lor Spring. enter a ngio.
+S for Summer. Statr of Mind -
+10 for Midaummer's Eve, and proportionately less variable (-+ or·) - A person in a contcmpli.tive or
for other pagan holidays. tefleclive stair of mind may find their reet unconac:lously
10 foT Easter and Otristmas Eve, and proportion·
•
leading them to the puce of some regio. Likewise, a
pe1'50n lost or paying little attention to where they are

2t fAelHes: A Complete Handbooli of the SeeUe

 going may stray inlo one. On the other hand, a pcrson
paying close attention lo their travels or having a mind
filled witl1 everyday w11rrics is unlikely to leave lhc
mundane world.
Magic ttems -
variable (+ or -J - Magic items may ht'!p or hindcr
one to enlet regio. Ch.arms or amulets against faeries
will hinder passage (F), whi!i:- carrying a.>rtain flowers or
trinkets m;iy help cross boundaries (F), especially if they
were gifts frnm the faeries.

�ic in Re�io
regit1 rt•ceivt's Lhe bonuses (or
Magic cast i n a
penalties) for !he aura of the Ieve! the caster is on (see
Ars Magica. p.73). If, for exa1nple, a mage cast!i a Spt'!I
Qn a level •vith an magical a11ra �tr=gth of fiv1:, he
would a,1d five to his roll.

Time lo J:leqio
Time within regi" is q111te unpredictable. Scilll€­
tirnes no differen('(' can be dellxted betwren hme
passing in the mundane world and a regio, but often
large discrepancies arise. f-!ours can becom(' wc-eks, and
even years can shrink to minutes or seconds. How time
flows in regio is completely up to the whim of each
Sroryguidl', but i t is recomml>nded that the effects
become incrt•asingly severe as the pla)"t"tS travel into
levels with higher alll'a s!rl'.'ngths, e.g. Rip val'I Winkle
type time effect5 should probably be te!l('rvt'CI for grL1und or cvL'n Dnm1n1on may ''"C'l l Ix• o,·e.-coine b\• 1l1 e
strength ll'n aura levels. l'his. way a person could Faerit' Aura - sim�>ly add n('v.· '"c(Jntour lines'" dt11und
wander in and llUt of the lowest k-Vl'l of a regio without your existingrq.;io, ,1L"<:iding f11r ,vo11 r-..:·lf the extl'nd 11f
realizing it, but might loscC>r gain a f('w hours or days these new morl' p1wl'rful regio. A �Llod idea is sin1ply tr\
when entering higher levl'ls of regio. i1naginc what the fal'rie fore�t m11st 11a,·l' N-en like �·(',)r•;
R,.giv can be large small, pov.·erful, wt•ak,
,
ag<i l:ll'fl'tt the «1m1ng l>f the D0rnin1on and recn"atc •.h ,1!
un!nhabi!cd or �plt>d with the remnants of an entire ,1n:a on this one src-ci,1! riight_
culture. Bcc.iu� of this l'nonnou5 variety, most of the
specifics of each re�o are left F1Jr t'ach indi vidu,11 trt1upe
to cre<1te 1111d e>.plore. Faeries and Reglo
Faeries can {·Xt�I al all Jc,,cJs (if
'''.!ifPat thL•
a

�me time. but nnrm,1!ly they do nr>l t'>li!her to do so .i�

Festivals they prt•fcr to c�ist at the highest !cL·L·l� ol the regio.
!1uring certain tiffil'S Cll lh1; year, tht' Fat'ril' Aura Th!1ugh a faerie may wander the to1re�t freely, i t i� likely
spreads out frnm the fal'ri<: realm, and a Faerie Aura that thL•y consider 011e of the pockl'I-� c1f l1ighl•f ri;l;'i•1 tl1L•ir
may <1ctually cover the entire countryside. This typicany ''home'' and mav dislike ''isitors. Tht•v don"l mind
happens during su1:h pagan f.-st1vals as Sunl.ml'T Sti\stice pe<iple wandering alx1ut, as long as tl1� y clc•n'! comL' intr1
or the anc1i!T\l festival for thC' dead (now kn<l"''n as their patch of t!1C" F<',V.i''-
Hal101�·('(.'n). In such CilS<'S, simply add 1-5 tu .ill the regio
in the region affected by the pagan festival, this could
mean that whal was formerly a level 1 aura / rezio ,
Overview
becomt's a level 4 aura/regi!), and wha\ was a lt'Vl'l 7
All tt'gio Jr{' connected to thl" mt1ndane world .it
becomes a lC'vl·I tl'n (which nll'ans ii will no"'· have
the bo11orn (th11s .illo,,·1ng travel lx-t•vct•n them). and
entrances into Arcadia). \\'ha1 Y••a5 O!IL'C nC'u!ral
higher ll•\·cl rl';.,'1<> .:irL' con ne.::tN at tl1P " IQp'' -,·ii! g;i tcs
'

CHAPTE!R TH�l!E: The faerie Realm ''

into Arcadia. All regiv which have spots in them at level in return for magical prolection (usually in the form of a
len aura connect in some way to Arcadia, usually via yearly gift). Fn-quently, the woods are the only remnant
some sort of gate (see the "'Arcadia" chapter ror more of a great faerie forest and any hostility from its inhabi­
details). Therefore, you can travel between thne high tants may be explained by this.
aura regions by going through Arcadia; of course for Faerie woods are generally normal-looking
mortals this is far more difficult than ii may sound. woodlands with little in the way of unusual plant­
In addition, SOmi! of the regio which have levels growth or other signs of faerie power. The inhabitan Is
with strength& higher than six are connected lo each are rarely the humanoid members of the Sccl!c and
other. Those connections are not always apparent. and Unseelie Co11rt, who themselves Sff'lt the deeper en­
often involve a gate or doorway of some kind. Whether claves of faerie forests. Rather, faerie woods are usually
or not this gate is physical varies. Sometimes the gates inhabited by le55er faeries - sprites, faerie animals, etc.
are obvious, \Ikea rune-inscribed marble arch standing These faeries may or may not be ''organized" into a
at the ca\IW of the regio; while at other times, the gate cohesive society. They may often be at odds with each
may be nothing more than a cettain place between two other, making and breaking alliaru:e5 among lhcmst>IVC!l,
bees, requiring elaborale rttuals to activate. These gates but doing little more than playing nasty jokes on thcir
are not necessarily known to all inhabitants of the rtgiD. enemies. A wood Inhabited by faen·es of the night,
Some Individuals may travel between rlgfu extensively, however, may resort to more lethal games.
while others remain ignorant of the existence of any­ A common encounter in a faerie wood ls thefiu:rie
thing beyond their own regfu. tm:. A faerie tree is any ordinary plant that is under the
magical protection of the faeries in the area. Typical
faerie tn?es include the whitethorn, the hazel, and the
bourtree. A plant that Is under faerie protection usually
Faerie Aur11
cannot be harmed or �oved by mortals, ex<'ept when
This is an expanded version rJf the churl on cold iron is used against it. Su<"h faerie trees may contain
page 73 vf the Ars Magic11 ruks. raw uis or be enchanted with a number of spells.
Typically a faerie wood is but one faerie regfu,
A�• Faerit! PO'Uln with an aura of no higher than 2, though some are.ts of 3
Top of Fo.erie M!Ju.nd I or even 4 may �fst within itsronfines. These areas
include important sites such as meeting places, magical
Outskirts of Faerie Wildemm I
drdes, etc. Arcadia is rarely reachable from a (aerie
Faerie Wrod.i 2 wood, at lea.st in a physical sense. Mortals who sleep in a
Import.anJ Sile ln Faerie Woods 3 faerie wood may find themselves dreaming their way to
Megalith Site • Arcadia. They will awaken with vivid memories of their
Ftierk Forest • �rlenres, but will find no physical eviden«' of ever
having been to Arcadia.
Heart of Faerie Fvres/ 5
If, during one of the great pagan festivals, the
Faerie Pond '
regio fncrca5e5 mough to allow a gateway to Arcadia,
FllUlt Valley 7 there will be a large festival. This will be invisible to
Foerit Village 8 mortals, except for those who foUow the old ways and
Fatrit Costk 9 co11oe to participate In the revelry. However, If mortals
with hostile intent, bearing iron, come to these festivals,
Arcadia IO
aU the raertes will vanish in an instant. The remains of
this festival will be a trampled ring of grass in a glade
within the woods, from whence Wlll spring da\1>ics or
mushrooms in the mom.
faerie Woods
Small wooded areas, such as groves and ravines,
may be the home to a faerie population. Such places are
faerieforests
usually in relatively close proximity to dvtli.Ud areas Faerie forests are larger and more remote than
and their faerie nature will be well-known to lhe local faerie woods. They contain a higher faerie pcpulation
inhabitants. The faeries may even be on good 11>111D with and are the site of at least oneSeelie and/or Unseclie
their neighboring mortals, and be offered yearly offer­ Court. They are most commonly peopled by the siJ.� or
ings. although in some cases, the faeries may be venge­ high fae1ics, the elder faeries who have lived in the
ful toward the villagen. Often, the faeries of a wood world sinc<e its creation. Deep faerie foresls are often
enter into a baf8llln with a particularly influential mortal una ppwchable by mortals, since they are under the
of the al'i!il, who agaees to keep mortals out of the wood magical protection of the inhabitants. Mortals iiltenipt·

•• PAE111es.z A Complete: Handboofl of the Seelle

ing to enter a faerie forest may soon find themselves lost
faerie Ponds
or confused. Some- enchantments send tresp.1sseri; into a
d·ep sleep, during which they are !Tan sported outside A faerie pond i s a generic name for any small
the forest boundaries by the faerie inh.ib!tants. body of water wherc faeries may be found. This includes
Fa('rie Forests are magical p!aCT's and may take on streams, fountains, waterfalls, springs, pc!nds, lakes,
strange and unearthly appearances. Perhaps the ITccs marshl'S, bogs, and fens. Sud1 faerie ponds may be
are all the same height and arc evenly spaced, or per­ located in a faerie wood or forest, or may bC' surrounded
haps the seasons never ch.lngc nr it is always daylight. by mundane countryside. Some may be invisible to thl'
Usually, the stranger the appearance, the more faerie morta.I eye while olhers are simply wcll-hiddcn by tall
Auras are present in the foresL Entrances to Arcadia can plants or deep mists.
often be found amongst the strangest phenomena in a Naturally, faerie ponds are home to wall.'f faeries
faerie forest. such as nixies and watcr sprites. They are usually only
lhere is a very direct relationship between the inhabited by Low Faeries, un1ess they are within a major
faerie forest and its inhabitants. Many faeries arc born faerie area. Faerie ponds within a large faerie forest may
from the trees of the forest. Known as lrtt elves,
these have entranres to Arcadia in them, usually beneath thi.>
faeries resc111ble the trees from whlch they came, and act surface of the water or behind a waterfall. The water of a
as protectors of their forbearcrs. Crimes against the trees faerie pond Is magical, containing life-su�taining quail·
by mortals will be met with Ill health against the crimi­ tics (or llfe·shortenlng qualities if inhabited by dark
nal or his descendants. faeries), raw vis, or a particular spell enchantment.

In the heart of a faerie forest is the faerie court, A The Faerie Aura of a pond varies with its proxim­
court will be ruled by a sidlie king and/or queen, with a ity lo other faerie regions. lsoialed faerie ponds rarely
varying number of sidhe unobles." Lesser facries make exceed 1, while ponds in or near a faerie wood will have
up lhc rest or the court, acting as servants and messen­ a power ot 2 or 3. Ponds deep within faerie forests may
gers The court meets at a circle of bees or stones, or, less be as high as 5, depending on the importance of the site.
oill.'n, a circular pond. Such places have a higher power The power of a faerie pond may not Ix> manifest at the
than the surrounding forest. It is rarc th;it mortals will surface of the water - one may need to go underwater
ever '>tt the court at the heart of a faerie forest, unless in order to utill.z.e its eifects. Some ponds may have their
they command some special favor with the king or Faerie Aura vested directly in the water, so that trans­
queen. portation of the water to a different place allows the
power to be transferred as we!!.
To some extent, a faerie forest can be considered
t1> be 11 large level one regio, with islands of higher
s!Tength scattered throughout, Thus, a person entering
the Forest and crossing into the first level of the regio
faerie Mounds
ran travel throughout the Forest on this lev.-1 (or muld
The !'aeries who farm and trade with mortal
possibly enter the forest without entcring the regio at all).
fanning villages live amld the �dows and plowed
As they !ravel, they might cnrountl>r other, individual fields of the settled countryside. These faeries Ii\'(' in
regio which have higher strengths, in which case, they faerie hills or mounds, wming out to tTade with \nr steal
would have to roll to enter them. TravelttS In a faerie from) mortals. They often render themselves invi�ible to
forest often do this very thing without realizing it, for most mortals, and, excepting those wh(1m they wish to
thl' first level of the regio is not very far tl'moved from
the mund.ine world.

CHAPTER THREE= The faerie Realm 25

trade with, they are mostly unnoticed. Howcvcr, their only one levcl of aura, once you go through the door you
dwellings, t� faerie hills or mounds, are visible. These have entered the rcgiu ;ind no special rolls are n'l.jUircd
places are areas of faerie power, and most were sacred to Enler lhe mound once you have found !he d1>0r.
sitL'S in pagan times, when humans interacted with Inside thl' mound, thCTe is a \inc of small stone-­
faeries more and often wor.;hipped th.:!m. Some of these walled rooms, possibly filled with jewels and lxlfK'S if
sites are old barrows, where pagan lords and kings were the hill was once a pagan tomb. In the last room, there is
buried. In these mounds, the faeries eilher live with the a large stone gateway leading to an Opt'n space with
ghosts of the long dead lords, or live amid the splendor large fields surrounding a village.
of the offerings to that lord, the lord's spirit having long The houses in the village may be ellher sn1a!I
since d�·parted. In any event, all faerie hills have a few and humble or large and richly decorated, depending on
characteristics in common. All are of regular shape, the wealth of thC' inhabitants {sometimes the country
u�ually much more regular than a natural hill could ever nobility of the Daoinc Sid he live in such hills rath('f than
be. They are usually circular conical hills or long low in the richer faerie castles). These houses are arrangOO in
oval mounds (Silbury Hill and West Kennet are two a small village surrouoding 11 «'n tral courtyard. Faerie
examples of large faerie hills in England). fields and pastures can be found outside the village. and
To the mortal eye, faerie mounds arc no more lhe whole area is almost completely covered by a thick,
than oddly-shaped grassy hills, but to those the faeries grey impenetrable fog which never lifts. Mortals can
allow, and to the magi with the appropriate spells or become quickly lost in su"h a fog. The only other exit Is
magical sight, there is a large door Jn the side of each of another door directly OpPOsite of the entrance, thougl1
15+
th('S(' hills (a is needed for those with &>cond Sigl1t, not all mounds have QTIC. This exit leads to Arcadia.
or simply a 20+ on a roll with Inti-llego T('rram). 1'he
The inhabitants of some faerie villages will
door Is magical, and will admit no one without th('
regularly visit with oth"rs in Arcadia, while othl'r
faeries' permission, except on Hallowren nighl, Midwin­
communities will deal mtistly with the mortal world.
ter Eve, Beltane or Midsummer's Day at noon. Faeril'
Faeries who deal with other faeri('S are quite strange Ii.>
mounds ar" a special example of regio, (or they exist as
mortal eyes, and will have very unusual houses and
farming practices, while faeries who deal mostly wit\1
mortals will seem much like old-fashioned mortal
fanners.
There is no physical way to enter the village
except through the magical entrance- digging one's
way into the mound will simply produce !ol5 of dirt and
rock. The village exists in a rtgio that lx!rder.; both
mortal world and Arcadia. Even if most mortals cannot
enter the faerie village, tl1e mound "an � an important
place. Mortals who sl('(.'p on the mound, especially on a
pagan holiday, may r�"ive prophetic dreams and
visions, good luck, or sirrnlar aid. Howe\"CT, some may
also be canied away by the faeries, either to the village
or deep into the Arcadia itself. Similar faerie villages
may be found at the bottom of 50me lakes (see Faerie
Ponds above) or on remote mountaill5ides.

faerie Valleys
There are those faeries who live opt.•nly with
mortals who practice the old pagan religions. They can
be found in small, hidden mountain valleys contalning
very rich fannland. The animals will be exceptionally
healthy, as will the people, many of whom may everi
have Faerie Blood. Minor magic will be common in such
valleys - talking owls, prophetic dreamo;;, wise old oaks,
etc. A potenl magic protects the valley frQm lhc mortal
world in the form of an aura with effects similar to the
Rego Mentem spell 'The Shrouded G!en.N In addition,
such valleys are alwa� in secluded plaCC"S which make

•• fA!;RTES: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

them lloilturally difficult lo rrnd. Some of thc5e valleys
contain gateways to An:adia while others do not. In aU
faerie valleys, the faaies and mortals roopera!e, and the
mortals live the way people did in the Bronze Age.
growing oats and barley, and not using iron (though it is
thought by some scholars that the mortals are actually
f.iicri� who simply hawn't given up t'heir old ways or
are playing a complicated game). Though the valley
can be considered a faerie regio as a whole, the faeries
themk'lvcs reside only in the highcr regW locations.

faerie Castles
On some hig'h and isolated mountain crags, there
are castles which can only be ocu1 on certain days of the

yt>ar, or from certain mountain passes and peaks. These

castles are the dwellings of nobles of the Daolne Sidhe
who did not retreilt to Arcadia with the coming of iron
and Christianity. In� isolated human villages near
such Ol5tles, offerings may still be made at the foot of the
crags on pagan holy days. Hor5CS, grain, milk, cloth and
food are the most corrunon offerings - thCo Daolne Sidhe
do not o.cccpt human sacrifice.
Faerie castles will appear strange and elaborate.
They may appear to grow directly from the roounlain
rock, and often do not 1esu11ble the castles of mortal
nobl('l!I. Those with Secmid Sight will be able to see these
castles all the time, bu! no one ca n enter or even closely
approach these structures without the pe111ss 1i ion of !he
inhabitants, exrept perhaps on pagan holidays like
large slender vertical stones, often topped by lines of
Halloween. Under no circumstances can openly hostile
long horizontal stones, arranged like the lintel of a door.
people approach such castles. If an uninvited visitor Less commonly there is just one large stone, or two
attempts to approach the castle, he will walk towards ii vertical stones capped by a long horizontal stone. All of
indefinitely but never get any closer.
these structures were made by mortals thousands of
A mortal gaining entrance to the castle will find yeal'!i ago, and all of them mark areas of faerie power,
it extremely rich, full of fancy tapestries, gold plates and and gateways into Arcadia. Even many thousands of
jewelled clothing. In addition. TUnning water and years ago, when the mortal world and the faerie world
magical lighting will be p1csc11t. The inhabitants will be wen! much closer than they are now, mortals created
regal and haughly, but if !he mortals are polite, they these megaliths so that they could more easily communi­
may soften and become more friendly, since visilorsat cate and pass between them. When they were built, one
such castles are very rare. All such castles will have could pass between An:adia and the mortal world freely
gateways into Arcadia, although the inhabitanl5 will all !he time; now. only on pagan high holidays is pas·
rarely venture there, either because they are exiles or sage possible. Unlike other faerie places, megaliths are
because they love this world too much to give it up. not dwelling places for faerie, they are simply markers
Such voluntary inhabitants may be quite friendly to indicating what wCore once focal points of Faerie Power.
mortals and could make powerful al Ilea. There are many villages where devotl'd inhabitants still
go out on certain nights to perform ceremonies at
megalith sites (after the local pastor is safely asleep) as a
Mel!allths means of remaining in touch with thl'ir faerie neighbor.;.

Oftentimes faelies will enter through the f\OW open

A ronunon feature of the landBCape in Mythic
portal and spend the evening in revelry with the vil lag­
Europe, especially FrolllC£' and the British Wes, are
�
mcgaliihs, large stone structures built thousands of
years ago. Stonehenge, the Avebury rung, and Long When the gateway to Arcadia is no:it O)X'l\,
Mey and her daughters are bul three of hundreds of megalil.hs are still Faerie Aura areas where local faeries
such structun!5. These structu� arc rinp or rows of may gather to dance under the light of a full ffiOCln.

CHAPTEll THllEI!: The Faerie Realm 27

 ,� �\ i
Chapter four: Arcadia
Arcadia is a realm of !.!Xtraordinary beauty. The sky is blue and clear, and the
sunlight more rich and colorful than in the mortal world. l"he sun never burns, blinds or
dazzles even if you look dirl'clly at ii. The seasons are slow and regular, and the vegeta­
tion is rich and verdant. Everything is brighter, coldCT, warmer, sweeter, strongl'r, more
moving and profound than anything found in the mortal world.
SoJTl('times called the land of the ever young, Arcadia is also known as the Mists,
or even as the Mists of Time. Indeed it is a world beyond lime, beyond existence. It is
the place from which the faeries emanate, from which they come,
from which their spirits receive their life potency. This faerie
land embodies the spirit and soul of the faeries, and it ts where
they gain all their powers. The ability of the faeries lo use magic
to manipulate reality in the mortal world stems from their ability
to create reality within Arcadia. Some 5aY that Arcadia is a place
of self-p<.>rceived reality, a place with no reality other than the one
created by those who live lhf're.
One can travel through Arcadia, but it is a process of self
exploration nither than one of exploring a geography. Arcadia is
easily affected by what is in your heart, and is especially mutable by the passio1ls that
mortals allow to reside within their breasts. However, if you have determin3tion and are
iible to solve the puzzles which your own mind gives you, you can use Arcadia to
achieve your own ends.
Only the truly brave and mosl well p1"parcd of mortals should risk entering
Arcadia itself. Nol only is Arcadia a place of great mystery and ancient power and
therefore vcry dangerous, but none who enter ii ever leave it quite the same; the spirit of
Arcadia will stay with them forever.
But until you go to Arcadia yourself, you won't understand why ....

Essential Nature
Arcadia is older than mortal comprehension, and in all that time has never been
tamed. The sheer power and grandeur of the landscape is hard to imagine. The forests
are vast in scale, the fully grown trees are huge and breathtaking. Rivers and streams are
more bright and loud, while the cool twilight sun gives the landscape a sense of unreal-

28 FAEl.llES: A Complete Handboot? of the Seelie

ity. All things al'(' cn'�p. cl�r and in perfect focus, and no bounds. Whlle there are only a few of th� /aeriet> Jn
the range of vision is longer than normal. any one location, each is prof�\undly dangerous; far
However, this is only one view of the Faerie, more so than the faeries of the faerie realm in the mortal
that of a total sensory awa�ness of the natural world. It world.
is similill' to how you would see a forest if f(IU had only Each spirit faerie has the ability to do magic of
seen. lawns and hedges before. But there are other its type (Aquam, Auram, Herbam or Terram) at will.
aspects lo Arcadia as wen. It is a magical place. They may use all techniques with power equivalent to
ChQl'Kk>n; wtth Faerie •lght.. S1i"corul Sight, or spells of level 15--30, depending on the individual faerie.
Magi with an lnlillego I.magonem total of 10+ will see Plant faeries are nume10\Js: talking oaks, dryads, etc.
many strange and mysterious sights ln the sky, what al Such faeries are rarely even noticed by mortals and may
altogether.
.

fint s:a11 to be clouds are wispy faeries of the air who be o11erlooked
dance upon the b:&er•.s. Their appearance is alternately All of these nature faeries are wild faeries and
playful, cruel and simply inhuman. lakes and streams even the friendliest of them will have only a limited
contain enormous creatures with huge eyes and many ability and interest in Interacting with humans. It's not
pointy teeth "just below the surface of the water" who that they are unable to do '°• but rather that they have
are actually the lake ltwlf. Some t122s in the forest will no wish to do so. To find faeries with whom one can
hav: tall, slender, symbiotic faeries living inside them, talk at length, one will have to journey to the "cities" of
the bark of the tree being their living skin. Everywhere the Daolne Sidhe, the clvil!zed Inhabitants of Arcadia.
things that seem normal are actually very different.
The wtldemea.� of Arcadia stretches on as far as
you can see; there is nothing of civilization here. It has faerie Cities
never felt the touch of the plow or the bite of the sickle. The Daoine Sidhe are the nobility of the faeries,
Its land, air, water, plants and animals are all untam:d
and those of them who Jive Jn Arcadia will probably be
and unafraid. They do not think of mortals as their
the most powerful of their kind Their cities will be
.

enemies here, rather they view them as curiosities. This unlrke any mortal humans have ever $een. These cities
is untouched land; nc:rt only are there no farms, there are
rise directly from the natural landscape, with no border
no pastures, meadows, or cities of dead stone. of cleared space or cultivated fields. For more informa·
lion on the Daoine Sid he, see the secli<Jn on faerie nobles
in the Be5tlary.
Inhabitants
The cities themselves are quite large and are few
Most of Arcadia's Inhabitants are the spirits of in number. An average city will cover a dozen or more
powerful natural forces, or spirit f11e1ies. They are, in square miles of land, but unlike a human city of the
general, somewha t larger than human' and much more same size, a Daoinc Sidhe city might only have twenty
powerful. � are not the small, fun, prankish faeries thousand regular inhabitants. The$(.> cities are vay large
of bUJTliin lands or even the ruler faeries of a faerie and open, with none of the crowding found in large
fo1esl 1lleSe are spirl15 who nelth('I' havc nor want any human settlements. Instead, there ar<.> wide roads, parks
commerce with hun'lllnity; completely alien creatures and large,elaborale buildings with few inhabililnts.
above the cras5and simplistic dktate5 of mortality. The physical struclUre or lher cities 1s perhaps
For the most part, they will ignore humans and their most striking characteristic; they appear to have
will expect human9 to ignore their pre-sence. If charac­ beu1 grown instead of built. Some rise seamlessly from
ters visibly take note of these spirits and try to Sf·-k the local rock. Trees serve as livi ng rolumn!I and but­
with them, watch or spy on them, their lnte1estmay be tresses for buildings with walls of their entwined
aroused. They might be playful or simply cruel, but will o
branches. The wind ws are stained ''glass,'' and the
probably not do anything except chase the char11cters floors are composed of flat, li ving wood. Faerie dti:s
away or (on rar: occasions) talk for a while. Even !hose are not uniform, but they are beautiful. Stone, living
who wish to communicate prefer to do so without wood and even flowlng water are all used 11s building
words. Language is a product of civilization and is not materials. Some buildings contain hannonious mixtures
entirely natural to this world. of many sub$tances while othcr.i are seemingly grown
If characters Interfere with one of these faerie from a Sngle rock or tree, but all are natural and unique.
domains through physical force or magic - such as In general, but not always, you will find faeries allied to
rotting down a tree, dammin g a stream. or casting a a certain element living in dwellings made from that
Muto, Perdo or Rego spell of the approprtate type- the element. A magus with a good eye for detail could tell
anger of these beings will be aro11sed. Unless the that the buildings and other structures in a fame city
offending character asks with proper reverence pennis­ were created using magic equivalent lo Creo Herbam

sion to effect the faeries' domain, their anger will know and Creo Terrarn spells of level 25 and above. Magic,
not tools and muscle, built thlo fllerie cities.

CHAPTER fouR: Arcadia ..

 Faerie dties are not always so e111pty of people. Daoine Sidhe, as are most faeries 111 the cily. However,
On the days of faerie festivals, thepopulation might servants, attendants, advisors, or important guests of all
swell to two or three times Its normal siz.e, with Nuroina the important types of faeries will be present, and
Descrt6rum and Daoine Sidhe who normally live in possibly a few human artists or "pets.�
isolated settlements all journeying to the city for a few The palace and the faerie court will be a strange
day' before departing. However, even at their most pla('e for mortals, The faeries of the court are some of
crowded, a faerie city has less than one fifth the popula­ the oldest and most powerful faeries in existence,
tion of a human city of comparable size. Faeries cannot especially with regards to illusion and perception. At
endure thecrowding many mortals. find both normal timt5, the court may see111 relatively normal if very
and comforting. grand, and much cleaner and mon.• elaborate than a
If you choose to stay in a faerie city, you will mortal palaa.>. But at other Li11<£>S, II might be a dream­
find life thcre reminiscent of life in a human city, though like blur of illusion and reality where even time does not
wtth some striking differences. There are no farmers seem constant.

with carts carrying their produCl" to market - the food The politics of a faerie court are Vt'fY elaborate
in a faerie city is not produced by tilling the soil. In­ and Byzantine. Think of mortal court politics, and add
stead, grain faeries bring barley to � city. whileolher powC'Jful magic and the fact that the nobles measure
plan I faeries bring fruits, vegetables and mushrooms. lhcir lives in centuries and milleMia, not years and
So� of this is caJried in by small faeries who are much ""'""'·
stronger ttian they look; the rest of the grain and pro-- It should, however, be noted !hat many featureo;
du Cl" simply appears in the- market or m the hou� and
of a mortal court win not be pr""'111 in a faerie one.
shops of those who need it. Brownies and other Numina Faeries are creatures of tradition, sn while individuals
Mani prepare the food and perform the other chores may gamer favor and possibly try to disgrace a rival,
nccell&lry to keep the city running. but since they use
outright assassination, usurpation or rebellion will bl.•
magic and work mostly at night, most chores appear tu very rare. In addition. since filerics are inunortal, and
have �n magic:ally lilken care of while you slept {as
the most powerful of them may live for millennia, thC'
indeed they were).
question of succession and the problems it creates will
The Daoinc Sidhe of these dtie:; live like cul­ rarely arise. 11\P faerie court may bl- more elaborate
tured nobles, hunting, having parties, banquets, and than any mortal oourt, but its pace is much slower,
masquerades, and enjoying art, music and dance in all un1ess there isa dlre.:t threat or a problem in need or
forms, most of them bt1rrowed from humans or created immediate solution.
by humans who are either captives or visitors In Ar­
The domain ruled by the faerie court is also
cadia. Remcmbe-r, just bC'eause the Daoine Sidhe do not
unusual. The court of a city rules that city and all of its
create much art or mu!!oic, does not mean th.iii they
illhabitants. However, given the power of many faeries,
canno1 tell good art l'Tom the bad art. A lalenred human
especially the proud Daoine Sidhe, the rule will not be
musician visiting a faerie cily can come away richly
strict or harsh. Imagine a city composed of the ruler and
rewarded, but a hack musician trying to con the faeries,
the nobility, with no commoners, no serfs, and no one
or a musician who botches a performance roll may come
being whipped in the street. There are no press gangs,
out of the faerie city with ii pa.Ir of donkey ears, or
excessive taxes or overcrowded hovels - poverty and
worse.
want are absent.
OulSlde the city, the faeries of the woods,
The faerie Courts mountains, air, and water may respect lhe rule of the
Daoine Sidhe court. and many amo11g them will bade
lbe heart of the dlies of the Daoi11eSidhe is the with the city, but they arc 11ot ruled by them. The
Faerie Court. Each city has its own court with llS own Numina Olsut6rum of Arcadia are rulers of their own
Klng or Queen. Some say there is one ruling court in all domains and are oot controlled by outsid�.
of Arcadia to which all other courts pay homage, othcrs The soldiers of the faerie rourl will mainly be
that each court is indepe11dent and rules a separate Dao!ne Sidhe from the city, mounted on wondrous
tcl'Titory. To be certain, many courts daim they are the faerie horses, with allies (not conscripts) of all types
the High Court of Arcadia, but the truth is never as aiding them. A !aerie army is much smaller than a
simple as an idle claim. mortal one, but it is much more powmul. Different
The Court will always be located in the largest, cities inside Arcadia may war, but ii is never as serious
most elaborate or most central building in the city, as it is In lhc mortal world. Although the waning courts
depending on the ruler's tastes. Every city's palace will may truly be angry with one another, !he absence of !he
be different-some will be of wood and living plants, threat of everlasting death makes them much more
and some of stone, depending on which .,.Jements the casual about it. The fighling Is of�n interTUptcd by
ruler frels closest to. The faeries of the court are mostly feasts or cantests of skills, and jocularity is used as a

30 fAEVres: A Complete Handboo&! of the Seelle

 are far more cruel than the inhabitants nf more temper·
ate locations.
In any event, the small, ugly and brutish dark
faeries of the faerie forests and the monstrous, mal­
formed faerie monsbi"rs found in areas adjoining the
mortal world wlll not be found in Arcadia. Those fa\.>ri�
are aspects and reflections of the mortal world, and are
not as pure as the faeries of Arcadia. There may be
many things one can call evil in Areadla, M wen illi
much that one can call good, but grossne5S, slovenliness,
and ugliness in the sense of something being malfonned
will not be found in Arcadia. Such ''degeneration" i�
only found in the mortal realm, or in those faerie area�
touched by the mundane world.

The Six Lands

The few magi who have experienced Arcadia
believe that there are different regions within Arcadia.
These lands are separate but similar plaa?S, each inti­
mately connected to one another. It may not be proper
to divide up Arcadia in this way, since there could be
many other realms besides these, but this is the way 1tw
most knowledgeable view Faerieland.
Arcadia as a whole ls a reflection of the mortal
world, it is not exact, but rather a rough image of our
own world. It is no las if a map of each would match
up, but certain cc.11espondenres would. While a chutth
and a castJe might be side by side in the mortal world, in
Arcadia, their corresp:indent places might nnt be. They
weapon as often as 11 lance or spea.r. Jn a faerie war, he may, in fact, be located in different lands of Arcadia.
who laughs first may be out of the game .
Whichever Arcadia one goes to, certain feature>
will remain thi;o Mme. There will always be breathable
The Seelie and Unseelie Courts: air, ground to walk on, plants, animals, and certain
places like Silbury hiTI, Stonehen ge some of the Sidhe
,

The Seelie and Unseelie Courts have not yet cl ties, and the faerie portions of the Black Forest, which
been ITl('ntioned in this description of Arcadia and faerie exist in all the faerie realms and can be used to travel
courm. In large part, lhe Seel:ie and Unsee!:ie Courts are from one realm to another.
a unique element of the faerie realm that touches upon The six distinct bul interconnected lands of
the mortal world. Arcadia are listed below:
Arcadia is Itself, in general, beyond such simple Somnlare - The Land of Legends and Dreams.
concepts as good and evil. Such distinctions between Also known as Arcadia ''proper.'' This land has the
light and dark llft.' much less dear. HoweveT, 50me most corresponds with the morlal world.
faerie cities and rourts are much friendlier places to
Allan.tiurn - Underwater Arcadia, the original
mortals than others. Some wild lands and cities in home of the Tuatha de Llyr. Not so much a separate
Arcadia are gr.ind and beautiful and seem to celebrate land, it is the watery version of Somniare.
growth, new life, and the beginning of spring. while
others are coldly beautiful, with the cryslalliflC.' starkness Antrum -Subternnean Almdia, 11 is closely
of midwinter. connected with Somniare and Atlantium.
It is lheori%ed that these are the A!'C'11dia versiol'IS Caelurn
- Cele:;tial Arcadia, the sky (the
of the Seelie 11nd UnseeIle Courts. In Arcadia, a season is original home of the Tuiltha de Danann).
an Integral part of the place, rather than a phenomena of Barathrum -The Lilnd of the Dead. The plac('
time and change, therefore it could be said that a pl11ce is where aJ\ the pagan dead supposedly go.
Unseelle if it is dominated by images of winter. Magi of Tutarus - The Lands Beyond. This land is the
House Merinila state !hat the inhabitants of cold regions most distant from mortal reality .

CW.PnR fouR: Arcadia ••

 P,ch land conespcmds lo4 dJffem1tplate (in
lhe sky, b£1 ?Pih the-water, Within the 571lh)and it
l't, 1:EJ by dllfeaad:Wil (>;Jll'ding melhodl (I wltld­
s•ept MaOt", a�JE'k atrigbt.a £r'rie pool, &
pia1ced 9lone or'? •edg<owe). llowewa, they still have
all the leatun!:i Df a mn:plrh: land. Oelinn. has 11$ alwen:
111\d oc 'II, AdanHumitsaolid ground, A:ntnmt tlSown
sky, St.In and moon.
Cod-tike beings like-the-Tuatha de Darlann may
move- between the !leiieland!!-at will. Other fairies,
-even Uie Daoine Sidhe, ?MY orily move between the
reAlma using b:oda that UH11 2:1 tht! iwo lands. How­
t-•d. SidJll! dties Ofteit contain such b'Qds, iU\d SODK!:
Sidhedties actuallyoi• in tlleb· en11re1y in twa or
mote. orrwes1 .ii s:e•et• lands �* faerie mtma and
themortal wmtd aswdD. Whkhrealm youare inwhen
)'OU 111 we sw:h • dlydtpuldii on whkh reud (bud) you
take when leisvtngit. Theo1".gc••ig up a rtzcpdtff rare
1, ds to Crd"m, lbe one wbkh l!nlen • dt•wa forest
goes to Somrdare, thetOIKl west goes to Banthnnn, etc.
Theiearecertaina pects c;;f Arcadia which
iiipply, fbr the moetpart, to all llltof thedlfferen.t1 rlms
ol faerie. However, each one ha9 certain distinct charac­
teUtiol which make it easy to rerogniz.e. These unique
features llfe dES 1ll::J below;

�lend ofds ms i6b1sif#Dy lfU!' ,lltUIE •the

&e&Oi!ial dss 1Sptionof Art:a<Jifl, TI"11! im! vutextenllof
unlOlxhed wikta• inle•spw :d with beautlfuJ S:kfhe
, WQ]fs eanpeeking ouL ln An:adia, dw::1e.maybl! m.ny
dties. There are smaller even more nagk:al cities u animals of lhe 1ype they res 1•ible. Hunfulg lhelr
well, whith mayremind' the daaradersof mythic plAa!!I animals wl.thwt muse, and without permisSlon. will sttU
likeCamelot lltld willhouse human heroes of old as-well bringdQWn ltoei• �-
as Sldlw noblea. Somniare falrles li1'e dte Cood Neigh+ The animals the �Br"a"st Lordli.watdt overare alao­
bon arTylwyth Teg live in villag:s and tannbarley unu$U41 In and or them:e,ves. All Mimal!i in Arcadia
through the ue of wooden plows.and'nature magle. will bewiaerand moze physldllly pe1fectthan their kin
This realm has themostt:Otr•£ft>1d ::as with the in the mortal world, but they have no fear of humans.
mortal world.and ttt.much easier to allV; �landcri' Som?.of !him animals will be mudl 010te numerous
Somniare &om lhe IOOrlal world. than any other portion than in the mortal world. wt1aehuntingand the pr, 5
5

ofAraldla. ence Of humim!I hawreduced theil'nwnhers. IJant, as

This is lhe AQdie, of the natureaphils, fur u la wellasbeu and wolves, wm mom the lau:ie ro........ and
the land where.nature nms free. The other ,prits of the in the cold northa11 nwches ofAtt;adia,. A Manmoolh or
other ]ands nutbln! the.spbil5 ofthfa land, Caelum Mastodon m!ghl still be glimpsed on rare p,••rfona.
supplying ratn and f1 hbi 1:$, Anh'Vm supplying lhe Ifyou Slop to la1k to the 8 :st Lords, they will
fertile earth, and Tartanui supplying the stnmgth oC the bl!!curiOUf and will pube.bly Wllnt to ki:1ew at lull: a
'Plrit !toell
•.
little bit about you. JI.anyone in the party is a musidim
In Arm.did;, the1e � many ipiritl a.uodated or apeifp:u1er, the � may want to• a show,u
wfth animale, called BpastLords. These h\imarHike mar ... Of Rte talldng-atmnats. trany In the pArty Iii'('
fas1las haft a body fomtand di!lpDSitKin whldi Jen h:i1 s orcl\iru1geons, and oBer to help .anyinjuoed OS'
""tl>le lltat of the •Mmalsthey pononify. Then: Is sldc. animaJSw thefas',s-wtllbe hliptst d and�
ueuallyon1yooellpl1ltfor : l•typeofllftUNl. Bear KindN!u and pall�de frm11 Ht, , 9pfrits will ••••!Py
&'st Lords will be luge Nxlled,·slow, and pa•:,, laked'f fm1:1ofinfonnationaboottheare. In which
daJVzlike nalls and,slolfur, while• wolfBea• Lord lheyllve,. tipsaboQt.daJ?serslUld safepbK'es, whlch
wm be sladu:, and quick, havewlld. Jaughmggold or ClOllTd not bll obtained by othe:& n 1e. In any event.
Null wall'9 C!)os.and4mri. ihJck hail' with pointed after oc11aal houn, oral most•day. lhehst Lords will

51 fAERlU: A COmplete Hindboolt of the SeeUe

wish to return to looking after !heir animals, and so they a particularly Lirge cavern has no roiling, there always is
will vanish back into the solihlde of the woods. '""·

There is no sun, yet there is light everywhere, a

dim and muted sort of illumination that creates many
Adantlum shadows. The air can often be somewhat st.ale, but more
The underwater pa.rt of Arcadia is the easiest to ofk'n is simply dry and flat. Everywhere you go in
identify, simply because of the murkiness of the air and Antrum, you are confronted by a place of unusual
the sttan� of the plants and rock formations. It is beauty, with precious gems sparkling in llS walls (from
just like bcing underwalt?r, but without lhe waler. To whence many say the light of this land emanates) and
enter or leave Allantlum, you must go through water, strange grottM.
but once there, you will remain dry and have air to One should not get the impression, however,
breathe. Once you arc in Atlantium, there is no water to that this is a dead world. Like all of Arcadia, it is filled
be found, for everything is water. The only reason the with the spirits of nature, and displays the luxurian� uf
water� not sccm like water is because it is the nature itself. It is not a bant"TI land � there is much life
natural state in Atlantium, and so everything adapts to it in this plare, plants and animals alike, bul they are of
as i f they werenilhtral to it Treat the air as If It were very strange varieties. These are not the type of pl;anls
water, exrept that the characters can breath ii normally, to be found In a forest or marsh, or upon a mortal farm;
see nonnally, and walk about normally (if they please). these are toadstools and moss, foreits of mushrooms and
Atlantium looks much like Sonmiare, eiccept that lakes of black weeds. The a11imals can be cycless, OT tlln
there will be 5ea5hells on the ground as well as grass and have enormous eyes, and they tend to be vf!rY shy of
bees, and the ocean Is the sky, and there are fish Instead visitors.
of birds. Indeed, it is possible for characters to fly in this However, it is the spirits oi the cold rock who
land. simply by pushingoff horn the gTound firmly. rule here. The spirits of this land are the spirits of lhe
They will float for a time. bul unle!1$ they begin to swim earth, the spirits of caves and precious gems. They can
vigorously, will fall back towards the ground. If you go travel &rely through the rock, but tend to be solitary and
high enough, you will n.-ach a pli.ce where you can see reside in one location. They a.re very jcalou� of every­
your own reflection cast down from above you, and may thing that is within their domain. The forces of the earth
even be able lo look into the mortal realm. You cannot are at their beck and call.
go further up without having to make the rolls nece;sary Imagine Antrum a5 a great immense maze, a
to return lo the mortal world, Sometimes the faeries or labyrinth of un("t'rtaln and evt'T changing dimensions.
Atlantium rise up to the top of their world and watch Tite various locations within Antrum tend to be more
the rommerce and rituals of the mortals, and may try to fixed than in the other lands of Arcadia, but still corre­
lure one of them down into their own world.
spondences must be found if one wishes to get any­
II is here in Atlantium that the great Seelie Gods where quickly. It is possible to simply wander through
of the sea re;;ide, in palaces made out of enormous sea the caverns and tunnels, but ii would take several
shells or dug out of caves. There aft' others here who centuries to walk from one side to another (If indeed
have constructed large cities out or living cor;il of v�ry there is any such thing as a ''side'' to Antrum)
strange design. All the spirits of the seas, oceans and
To roleplay in this land, you could treat it as a
lakes can be found here as well. llley ace so utterly alien dungeon of the neolithic roleplaying variety. Use SOmt'
to humanity howeV('t', that all contact with them will be
of the techniqul.!S of th;at sty!(' of roleplaying, just don'!
severely abbreviated. They are as likely to attack
let it baome as insipid oc meaningless. A(lcf all, ii is
trespassers as they are to attempt to speak with them.
slill Faerieland - a world of wonder.
This is a strange and eerie world, where nothing
is quite like it is anywhere else. It is the land of total
fancy and fiction, of mystery and unexplored depths, Caeft1m
w� all the legends and stories of what lies undt.'I' the
Celestia) Arcadia is qui le strange, it is somewhat
water actually exist.
like the Somnlare except it Is night all thr time. The sky
of Caelum is full of an extraordinary numbl.?r of stan, so
Antrum that you can Stt a5 if i t were a mortil night under a full
moon. However, the uound of this land is very barren,
Antrum is locstcd benealh Somniare ai; well ;as with little life upon it; it is lhc sky that is the life of this
Atlantium, and has many correspondences with those land. Though sc:1me correspondences are with the cloud
lands. It is a land nf rock and earth, of caverns and cities and castles, most are with places on the ground.
meandering caves - some small and many quite large. For characters to visit the real Cacium, they mu\iot
There is no sky in Antrum, and though ii may sec••• as if 90mehow climb up to the sky.

CHAPT!JI fouR: Arcadia 33

 Fortunately, in Caelum it is wry easy to enter Tartarus
the sky. If a player simply announces that their charac­
ter attempts It, do not let them succeed, but there are an The Lands Beyond Undentanding and Ken,
infinite number ol ways to get there. Trees that climb IO Tartarus is the most distant from mortal reality. It Is
lhe sky, seeds that create beanstalks, huge birds, giant said to be the original home of the first faeries, and !he
butterfly wings, or even bubbles that one can swallow to true source of their animating spirit. No one has ever
let one fly. Once they are in the air, visitors will begin to gone to Tartarus and returned, so nothing is known of tt
meet the inhabitants of this feitlm, all the spirits of the other than what has been said by faeries. As every story
air and wind and lhe animals that dwell in the sky. If of ii differs, nothing can truly be said of what it is like.
they climb for long enough, visitors may even rellCh the However, if it is ac-tually the lode of the faerie spirit, it
moon, the planets or even the stars. must Indeed be an extraordinary place.
Upon the highest clouds, or sometimes upon
comets, are the castles of the solar fairies, like the Celtic
god Lugh. These beautiful palaces are usually located EnterlnQ Arcadia
undemeath a Shir. and suffused with a bright golden Agroup of characters. wi!.hing to enter and
sunlight. The castles of the lunar and stellar falrie5, in adventure in Arcadia must contend with a series of
contrast (such as the fortress of the Celtic god Arionrod) challenges. First and foremost is finding an entrance,
are surrounded by a cool silvery moonlight. Both the which Is Invariably at a regio oi great power (usually
!IOIM, the stt>llar and lunar fairies are members of the level ten). Semndly, each realm of Madia has ilS own
Seelie Coun. The Unseelie fairies of Caelum haw courts guardian which must somehow bcoverrome. Then, the
(n strange dark castles under the night sky which only mange and unearthly nature of Arcadia itself must be
appear when lhe moon Is mostly dark. contended with.
The land wtthln Arcadia at which one arrivei is
!Iarathrum de••1e�11m1i1 ned in large part by how one gt.>ls there. Faerie
groves and forests, bogs, human oonsm.icted sties like
This ls the Land of the Dead, their home and Slonehengt.> and old ruins all lead to Somnlare, Burial
resting place. When a faerie dies within any part of the mounds, large self-buried stones, and caves usually lead
faerie realm, it always returns to Barathrum, and re­ to Antrum. Going into faerie pools or under the ocean
mains � u ntil it decides to return to some other part takes you to Atlantlum, provided you don t drown.
'

of Arcadia. Faeries usually l't'lilppear ln a new form. one Certain high rocky mountains will give you acres& lo
which they slowly developed in Barathrum. Caelum, possibly by a set of steps cut into the rock
The land itself Is very beautiful and, if anything, which go up the side of the mountain and !hen stop,
even more luxuriant and full of life than the other land!. except on certain nights when the staircase continues
The Bonisagus/Merinila theory of faeries !Bys mto the sky. Barathrum can only be reached by dying,
that Bara!hrum may once have been where dead souls or by bringl"Srorled by the dead. Tartarus t;ln be
traveled on� they died, or their ghost grew tired of reached from Barathrum, but never returned from.
keeping watch over the mortal realm. They say it is now The greatest danger of a journey to Arcadia is
rare for the dead lo venture to Barathrum because of the the uncertainty of the duration of your stay there.
Dominion and the fn'quency of ChuKh burials. Only Mortal' slilying in Arcadia for even a single day can
those who die and are buried In the faerie realm now go 6nd, upon returning from their journey, that a ymr, ten
to Barathrum (eventually to become faeries themselves, years, a century, or only a few minutes have passed. In
though some magi speculate that it ls the resting place addition, If the time passed In our world is quite long.
for non-Ouislian magi onlyl. decades or more, the travellers may find their loi;t time
Bara.thrum can be reached either from cae1um "catching up wllh them" within a few minutes of their
or Antrum, bul the journey along the trods is always return to the mortal realm.. Thi$ "catching up'' metins
very difficult and fraught with great peril. If a player the travelers will, In the toul'Sl!'Of a few minutes, age all
character should die while they are in Arcadia, their the years that have passed in the mortal realm during
body will disappear within minutes (decay before their their stay in Arcadia. This aging can be fatal if a non·
compatriots eyes), but they will reappear in &rathrum. magu11 returns from Al'C'adia past the P!nd of their nonnal
They can even be rescued if somehow the otheT charac­ lifespan. This instant aging does not always occur, so it
sezms that there are things one can do in Art;ldia that
ters can joumey to Barathnun. find their friend (who
may be in a new form), and somehow convince them to can Influence it.
leave (which can be very difficult) . However, u is the case in many other situations,
magi have found ways around this problem. If a mag=

PAERl!Sl A Complete Handhooll: of the SttJle

MAGIC :C�SeMENTS :OPcNING:ON:THE: FOAM
OF:PtRILOVS : SeA5:1 N :FAERY: lANDS:FORLORN
CHAPTEA fOUA: Arcadia 35
 can make a stress roll, modified by Intl!llego + Vim+ gateway, and la have their compatriots (o!low close
Paception, of 25+, the magus can dete111ilne the euct behind.
moment to enter into Arcadia such that the amount of To determine to which Arcadia the gateway
time which pa!lk'S in Arcadia is the same as, or at least leads, the person looking must make a Faerie Lore roll of
do� to, the aIJVJunt of time which passes in the mortal 9+. If the faerie site the troupe ls at leads to more than
world. Failure on this roll means that the 0011ecl timing one £aerie land and the troupe wish<!S to reach a differ·
ls uncertain, how� tlu: magus can try another day. A ent one from the one seen, the person who is looking
botch means that the magus thinks that they know the must roll again to swltch which Arcadia they are seeing
right timing.. but in actuality they do not. (roll as before, but add 3 to the number rolled). If either
A reasonable Storyguide should not have t:hisor the earlier roll is botched, any number of horrible
troupes regularly turning to dust once they leave thingg may happen- the person ts seen by a particu·
Arcadia. Faeries can automatically lead people safely larly malicious faerie, or, more likely, they simply see
into Attadia, If they are so inclined. Note: Magi who are something which temporarily (simple die in hours)
led into Arcadia by a faerie can make a roll to determine drives them mad or strikes them blind; roll for Twilight
if the route they are taking will result in time passing at for a magus. Once the troupe has passed through the
a vastly diffe1e1•t rate in the mortaJ world. Also, due to gateway into Anadia, 1111 characters' per'Ceptions return
the highly capricious nature of Arcadia, even a success­ to nonnal (except for lhose struck blind or mad} and all
ful roll can result in the troupe rehlrning from Arcadia can see Arcadia.
to find that as little as one third, or as much as three From the gates, the full strangeness and diver·
times the time spe11t in Arcadia has passed lfl the mortal sity of Arcadia will be e-x11e1y 1lcl obvious. The anlmab
world. and plants of this world will aTI be larger and more
In addition to the variable time rate, there are perfC't:t. They will also be more inclined to talk or take
several other problems that must be solved. First, the notice of your llC'tions. In addition, there are hosts of
troupe must journey to a powerful faerie area, petIraps minor beings which inhabit the landscape. A shot1 walk
on a sped.al night. Some faerie sites always contain a through. the hear! of a fat>rie wood, near the gates of
gateway to Arcadia through which mortals can pass, Arcadia, could reveal wise owls, talking oaks, and
while most only admit mortals to Arcadia on t:t!llain singing animals, if you but know how to listen. A large
da� of faerie power sur::h a.s Halkiwem, Belt.Me, moth might tum out to be an inhumanly slender-winged
Midsummer'& Day, or Midwinter's Eve. sprite. There may be beautiful woodland spirits with
Once one joumeys ID the correct regio, one mu5t Jong hair and 11nimal featura (fox or dear ears, hooves,
locate the exact enlrance to Arcadia. The entrance is not cat's eyes, fur or long slender teeth are not uncommon),
usually a doorway, but a spot or object of some signifi­ and strange, short creatures with wizened fares lib?
cance. It could be a p::iol Into which one must jump, or caricatures of humanity. The e)(('ltic and the strange
two oaks growing side by side between which one must abound and there is no end to the wonders found in this
walk. It could be a cave to crawl through or an elm strange and fanciful land.
which must be climbed. Once in Arcadia, magi and characters with
Finding the entrance can be done in a number of mystical virtues will find themselves at +9 to +10 on
ways; the faeries of the rtgio may reveal the correct path !hcir magic and virtue rolls. Ho-v�r. this extra power
to take. However, it is more likely one will have w makes magic even less predictable and so everyone
discover it without faerie 1ld. A character with F11.erie using such abilities must roll one extra botch roll, unless
Sight or Second Sight who succeeds in making a roll of they are faeries or have faerie blood.
15+ can find the entrance, as can a magus who succesed
in a Per + Imigonem roll of 20+, or any cllaracter who
takes a strong hallucinogen and succeeds on a roll of 9+.
Guardians
Any character who succee '' in suc:h a roll Within a few minutes of entering Arcadia, the
immedia�ly ceases to see the "'real" world but can see troupe will be met by a guardian of this realm, The form
the portion of Arcadia to which it corresponds. They of this guardian will depend on the realm. Choosing 1
cannot !lee their companions, except for faeries and guardian's form is a fun part of a Storyguide's job.
charatlets with faerie blood, although they can still hear Figures from appropriate ancient myths can be used, or
them. They will U!lllally see a path or road which leads mythic figures of the Storyguide's own invention.
to a gateway; ii may take the form of a doorway formed Proper guardiana should be imposing enough to make
by two standing stones topped by a third stone, two the idea of vlolenceagainst them seem like • bad idea.
nearby trees which have grown together to fonn an an=h, Uthe isisue comes up, the guardians draw thelr
11 spot of light, like the light at the end of a tunnel, or power from the whole substance of the realm they
simply a shimmer in the air. All they need to do is guard. For all practical purposes, they are immune to
follow that pathway, until they cross through the both magic and ordinary attacks. All guardians haw 1he

36 PAED1£S: A Complete ffandbooll: of the Seelle

powl."I' to tnnsport anyone or anything to any loc.ation scabbard with lhree jeWl'ls. He is a«ompanied by two
within the realm they guard, or to the realm tiom which white, red-eared dogs, one small and one large.
the transported creature or item comes. This transport is Barathrum -A ft'l'T}'Illan, dressed in black, ur o
instantaneous. gigantic detached head. Sometimes it is a very courte­
Persons meeting a guardian upon entering a ous knight.
faerie realm will bestoppt:rl and asked a series of Tuurus - Three ladies with a boat pmwed lik
questions. Usually the questions relate to the people's a Jiwan or a king in a chariot drawn by sphinxes.
identities, histories, posseso si ns, friends, enemies, and
purposes in Arcadia. The interrogation is brief and lo
the point, and rn.ay include a riddle. Assume that the Travel In Arcadia
guardian knows all about lilC'Se people, and can tell if
they are lying or ronrealing Information. The guardian Travel in Arcadia occurs ac:roniing to many of
can understand aTI languages. If the answers are satis­ the same rules that govern movement in dreams. It ls
factory, the travellers will be allowed to pass on into the almost alw11)'5 impoMible lo travel from point A to point
guardian's n-alm, and even given information or helpful B by going between them in 11 straight line; following the
transportation if their quest Is considered important. If, narrow rules of causal logic doesn't get a person very far
for any reason, the traveller.;' presence is considered In Arcadia. It is also extremely rare for ITavel to be
undesirable, they will be transported lo 11 location of the abse.i11; a journey may seem to take minutes, hours, days
Storyguide's choosing, where the guardian consider.; or years. The amount of time that seems to have passed
they can do no harm to faerie. I( they have offended the d0t.-s not have to match the amount of lime- that has
guardian, the location chosen may be very unpleasant. actually passed in An::adia, and the perception of time- In
Magi and those: well veri;i:d in Faerie Lor<' Arcadia does not have to match the amount of time th<il
sometimes enter another realm in order to request that pa� in the normal world. Time doc>s pass in some
the guardian transport them to a specific locatit1n. fashion, however.
Guardians usually listen to reasonable requests. How­ Teleportation-slyle instantaneous transpofl is
ever, guardians have no interest in the personal goals of not oflen seen in Arcadia. As in the logic of dreams, you
the petitioners unless. those goals have a wider lmpor­
tanC"e--- th('y care nothing for wealth and will easily
bccolllC' impatient with the idea of being uS(.'() as a public
transport syslem. Interesting and infrequent requests
are the safcst ones.
Guardians have one other power- to transfonn
any item to a corresponding one more suited to the
realm being eittered. They will always use this power to
tum mortal Iron Into another metal,
Marcus Queici11S of House Merinita has as­
sembled the following list of guardians observed by
members of the House and by olher, less sophisticated
persons:
Somnlare -A knigl1t in golden annor, riding a
white mare and carrying a white shield. AJ50, a woods­
man dressed in leather, gic:en-eycd and maned like a
wulf, with a collar around his l'IC!(k. Also, two rrnm, OI11;"
crowned and one homed,
Atlantium - A creature with a man's beard, a
woman's breasts, and a fish's tall. It wears a crown,
speaks likt' an old man, and changes shape continu­
ously. Also, a salmon which SpNks. Also, a lady with a
sword. Also, in the Fast, a dragon.

Antrum - A gigantic figul'l', which a ppear..

woven or built like a scarecrow, and possesses fa<'l'S all
over its body. Al!IO, a tree which speaks. Al!IO, a white
stag.
Caetum -A huge man, perhaps thirty fl'<.'t in
height. carrying a bow and a l>trange, bright sword in a

CHAPl'JiU FOUR: Arcadia 37

may not know how you got &om one plao.? to another, them. In Aradia, the closer two correspondences arc to
how long it took, how far apart the two places are, or one another, the easier it is to travel between lhe places
l
what ies belween them, but there is a sense of passing 1ep1cs.11ted by them. ln Arcadia, the most wesll'.'m
from here to 1here in a way that :x:enu entirely reason.­ lands are most like the land of the dead. Therefore. the
able - walking, riding, taking a boat, and so on. This is further west you go, lhe easier it is to get tCI the land of
the rule for ordinary faerie travel. Always give the sense the de.ad. The further east you go, the ha.-derit is, not
that travel is oct'urring by dmibing understandable because you are mov1ng fUrther from the correct loca·
modes of travel, b1.1t do not feel restricted by your tion, but because you are moving into a place less and
descriptions. For instance, a boat ride could take the less like the place you want to go. To get somewhere in
characters through a dense mist and leave them in a Arcadia, you must go towards those directions and
11mall underground pool with no egress. Or they could features of the landscape that correspond most closely to
be guided through a dad, dying forest in the North and what you are looking for. To find something, you must
end up in the Castle o!Treigalolh, upon the star of Mars. look for what Is most like it (in a symbolic, not a supcrfl·
The Af't'adia counterpart to locations are corre­ cial way). The thing most like what you an.> looking for
.spondences. For example, in the ordinary world, Gwyn in all the world is your destination. When you find the
llves In a cottage just to the west of lhe village on the one, you have F-ound the other.
outskirts of the yew forest He lives there beciiuse that is
. 11wot is the proc:c:lll of "normal" navel in Ar·
I.he JocaUon of his home. While in Arcadia, Gwyn is cadia. Occasionally, ii will not work. Travel �s
Gwyn ap Nudd, king of Uie dead in Arcadia, and lhlngs difficult for one of two reasons. Sometimes mysteries
are a little different. Gwyn still lives in Gwyn's home, are found; things, places, or people whose correspond­
but Gwyn's home is the place where !he yew trl"CS grow ing meanings are unknown. Such hidden mysteries are
- always. If you go to where there arc more yew trees, often objel:ts of fear tn Arcadia, for by faerie logic they
you will always be going closer to Gwyn's house. could be anywhere, for any reason, to do anything to
Gwyn's hou9C is to the west - always. Wherever you anyone. Someone must unravel the mysteiy, for the
are, it Is wt'St of you (uni� you are already lhere, in safety of all. This job is often left to mortals for reasons
which ca5e everything else is east of you.) Gwyn lives in thatwill be looked al lalcr.
the west because it is the 0011espondence to his house - Sometimes !ravel gets difficult bet'ause placesdn
west is the direction of death, where the sun sets, and it not correspond. If two locations are veiy far from each
is lhe way !!Ouls go when people die. His house Is in tht­ other, ii is just harder to get between 1hc>m. But if lwo
place of many yew bees because the yew is the tree correspondences are too far apart, if they are fundamen­
which corresponds to (or symbolizes) death. In Arcadia, tally not like each other, then you can't travel between
the home of the king of Uw dead, who is death, cannot the places they represent by following lhe correspon­
be anywht.TC but the land of death. This logic is as basic dences. Be<:ause some things don't relate to each othc>r,
l
as th<' ogic that says Gwyn's house has to be at the Arcadia is actually several Arcadias. Going from one to
location o( Gwyn's house. the other ls like comparing apples and oranges. Thi11gs
In the ordinary world, the closer two locations aren't more similar nr less similar, they're just different.
are lo one another, lhe easier it is to travc>l bctwCl.'ll

38 fAERIES; A Complete Handbooll oi the Seelle

Correspondences warrior is as fierce as a winter blizzard) roll Prs + the
app1opriate perfunnanre or art skill + a stress die
To succesy sfull get around in A1udS, you need against an ease factordetennined by the Storyguide (Jn
to undentand correspondences. It is usually best if you the example given, the 0011cspondenre would be
can help the players figure out the conespondences in successfully created on a roll of 21+.l
An:adia withoul resorting to die rolls.

Note: lf, unknown to the troupe, the place, object, or

EumpU gratia: If the characters art being person in question already has an existing corre­
Li• rd by an t:f111 � who die• es all in while, spondence which is opposing to the one bcing
and whost harst lave> behind frost-rimed hoof­ c::rcated, roll a st1tss die+ the Stm of the individual
prints, it would be smsible lo 1ZSSume that this faerie in question (or the Ownt:'I' of the object or place) and
is ll5SOcisttd with winttr. Sinet the S'!ISOns in subtract it from lhe abov(' roll. It is also possible to
Amt4'1 WI'}' 1.1&cording to locati°" rathn than time. try to change existing 001il"SjJOnd('llCCS.
lhe cMracters should stay in thtforests and mer2dows
ofsummt?T lo avoid this faerie. lf, lnsleQd, they wWr
lo lrt1Ck ii lo its "1ir, they should fol/OVJ tht w11e­ Extmpli gmlia: 1fyou wanted lo change Sir
HmDKs cotlt:SfNtulnaafrom haw!G to crows,a
spmu1,,.,ce tu !he hea1I uf lhe lands of winter.
signifioinl but not dnu;ffc clfange, ro/1 21+. but if
yow Wdnted lei cksmge Sir Sr,11's association with the
&>11V.'liml$, the 0011espondences will not be sun tn an asSO(iation with Ow moon, you WtJU/d luwe
possible for the players to as«!rtain. At this poinl, there to mll 24+, and s;, Sun wo11ld mil Stm + a strcs:.s die
am hvo oplions: first give them more hints; second, have r.rnd subh'act ii from your r1ill.
every character with Faerie Lore roll to figure it out. To
know a well known piei:r of infonnation (such as the
fact that the Tuatha de Danann Arionrod has her castle It Is theoretically po�ble lo make drastic
in the Corona Borealis in Caelum) would require a roll changes in Arcadia, such as changing the.• land of the
of Int + Faerie U:ireof 9+. Recalling general infonnalion dead from being in the west to being in the east. Such a
which is rather obscure {that animals with white fur and C'hangecannot be wrought by the mil of a die, bu! would
lake a whole Saga to mact. However, if it were success­
red eyes are creatures of the Daoine Sidhe) would
require a roll of15+. Information of an 1ibscure nature ful, it would reshape Arcadia, and, possibly, at the
about a particuJar faerie or ii particular pl&re which is Storygutde's dlscrl'lion, the mortal world as well.
small, such as a faerie grove. would be even harder.
If a correspondence of a person, object, or place Note: Faeries, ('Ven faerie PCs, cannot create culTI'Spon­
is not known, another option is to create a new corre­ denre�, and characters wlth Faerie Blood arc al -5 to
spondence. If, for example, a faerie knight is seen who their rolls to do so. However, faerie PCs, characters
has no device on her shield and who is seen in a wide with Faerie Blood, characlers who were faerie rai5fd.
variety of places wearing different clothing and armour, and all members of House Mcrinita who know faerie
unless the troupe can find someone who knows this magic are at +3 on their rolls to determine existing
Ii.night, they will have no way to find out where she lives a:.1ICSJ>.Jrw:llmces . Remember that only characters

or with whom she Is allied. However, it is possible for a with Free Expression {a +1 virtue) may create new
character with the virtue of Free Expression to cteatt:' a correspondences or change existing ones; such is the
song, pot'ffi, painting or some such similar work which power of mort.il creativity in the faerie realms.
allie:> her with some existing image. ''Her shield shines Faeries are quite aware o( this mortal power, and
like the sun.'' ''Her hair is the color of grain in the fall." may request a character with F� Expression to aid
"She is as ficrre as a winter bliuard." Whatever SC('tl1S them. They may ask thc1n lo compose a song or
appropriate lo the troupe is fine; use this as an opportu­ poem or paint a picture, lo v.-eakcn a rival or to
nity to encourage creativity and tntere&t on the part of rescue an old friend. The character would be greatly
the players. If this correspondence is successfully rewarded for such a favor, but beware, there may
CJNlcd, then the tnmpe could seek her in the lands of well be other faeries who did wt want those corre­
eternal sunshine. or wherever the appropriate corre­ spondences changed.
spondence lies. Since such correspondences actually
affect reality in Arcadia, creating oow ones could even
change the pe130nality of a pe1son or the aspect of a Universal Sites
place. Com:spondenccs may only be changed or Certain places have an essential power. They
created, however, If you are actually in Arcadia. are fundamentally impcrtant i n the scheme of things.
To create successfully ii reasonab)e rorrespon­ Med ieval pl.'Ople often attributed life 10 inanimate
denre where none ei1lsted before (forl'Xample. a rierre objects that seemed especially impn.>SSivl'. Somi:> might

CHAPTER Fouv: Arcadia 39

 ion. Building a church or a building which contains iron
assume that especially old or inlplessive objects had
developed magicaJ ability. The Oiurch often tried to across a trod also interrupts travel along it, and Faeries
mayklndJy uk the builders to build elsewhere. Wise
Christianize such places to da1m theiT power a.s the
mortals will comply, or fal.1!' living in a house which is
power of God. Ancient peoples may have given such
regularly bedeviled. Every disgruntled cmtture who
sites force by performing special rituals, or they might
pas!IES along the trod and gets bumped into the mortal
be surviving parts of a vastly powerful former world
that has left no other traces. Such places are rerogniz.·
realm will do their best to make the builders' and
Inhabitants' llves a living nightmare.
able for their legendary quality- they see111 to exist
timelessly, irdependent or their surroundings. They are
always the subject of many stories and are said lo be of Note: Trods are undetectable in the mortal world, but
greal antiquity, existing in every world, but not always travellers along trods may be 5ECn as vague blurs on
in the same form. For instance, St. Paul's Cathedral in a roll of 20+ with Faerie Sight or Second Sight, or by
the mortal wo..ld may be the tomb of the head of Bran a magus with a Per + lntellego + Im<igoncm mtal of
the Ble'!fed in Somniare, a towering stone 5fRn! in the ....
Atlantium, 11 ci.n'ular lake in Caelum, an oak tree grown
with mistletoe in Antrum. and the living head of Bran
Especially brave (or foolish mortals) such as
him5elf in lhe Barathrum.
magi, may use faerie trods as shortcuts bcl"'ecri two
From any of these places, a per50n or faerie can places in the mortal world, thereby saving months in
�ch any corresponding place, provided its existence is travel time. To do this, both the starting point and thc­
cl9l'Whcre known of or lnfen'ed. The only exceptions to destinatlon must exist in the Sllme faerie realm and in
this rule are the Lands Beyond ITartarus). They are the the mortal world. In addition, the two p\ac� must have
valleyt always over the next hill, the islands that lie just close coTTospondenC"es to each other. In many cases,
ovcr the horizon past the last known land. Some have soch pairs of places will be two faerie pools, etc.
been named - lhe landsofYoulh, of Joy, ofWomen, of
First, the would-be travellers must enter Arcadia
Foolishness. It ls po55ible to find these places from any
at one of the sites (see Entering Arcadia), and then find
world. Entering them is always voluntary, bul those
the correct correspondence between the two sites on a
who enter can never again touch any other land and
roll of Int + Fa.erie Lore, usually of 15+. If this roll is.
survive.
failed, the route has not been found, but the character
In addition IO using unive1sal sil\.'S, trave� may try again to find another route to anothei' similar
Ix-tween worlds may enlist the help of a !'aerie Lord. faerie place, assuming there is one near the desired
1laese an!' fairies of god-like status, and include the destination. If the roll is botched, then a route is found
Tuatha de Danann and Llyr. the Lord of Winter, the and it goes to the wrong place, usually a place Vi!ry f/lr
Lord of Summer, and the Lords of the Hunt. Such from where the troupe wishes to go.
beings can travel between the worlds at will, and may
carry travellers with them.
Note: Due 10 the capricious nature of Arcadia, this
Faerie Lore roll must be attempted each time the
Faerie Trods troupe wishes to use a given route, even if it has
bte11 traveled before. The only exception to this Nie
ln places wlee there is frequen1ly travel quite
is if the troupe has a native of Arcadia to guide
b<h�•c�••ri two COiitsp.:indenc:es, a trod (road) may rome
them.
into existence. These are shortcu1 path!. which exisl
between the two places, established avenues of corre­
sporidences. Faeries often use such trods; indeed that is Once the route has b it found. two other rolls
how they come to be. are necessary. On!! is a single st1 die for enrounlers
•

ln Arcadia, trods usually appear as straight flat,

,
-on a 6+, nothing occurs on the journey except the
unpaved mads between the two places. If both corre­ seeing of interesting scenery; on a 1-5, some being of a
spondences Cleist In the mortal world as well as Arcadia, type consistent with tht>two sitestravelled betwC<!n is
then travellers along the trod may be interrupted in their met along the way. If the two sites are Celtic burial
journey if a priest or a mortal carrying iron aosses the mounds, a Celtic hem mlght be met, or perhaps two
road when the traveller is passing. IThe mortal and the Celtic warriors fighting. An earth faerie might be met
traveller on the trod "bump into" each other.) If the two travelling between two faerie cavet>, etc. On a botch, a
being5 do bump into each other, then the traveller along mortal carrying iron or a priest cross the mad as the
the trod leaves Arcadia and enters the mortal world, troupe passes and returns them piCtiiaturely to the
often to the bewildei1i1121•t of the mortal who bumped mo rtal world.
into them. Faeries who are intenupted in such a fashion Once the joumey has b:.ii accompl ished, roll a
are quite u�. especially if they end up in the Domin- stress die+ Int (use the best Int in the troupe), and

•• FAERIES: A Complete Handbooll of the Se:e:lle:

divide the time the journey would have taken In the
rules must be observed. First, both places must exlit In
at least one of the same faerie realms. It is impossible to
mortal world by that number.
travel between a faerie fo1est which exists only in the
faerie realm of nature spirits (Somniare), and a faerie
Eumpli gnifi4: If lhe n:umbt:r rolled is 11'. 9, you pool which exists only in the underwater faerie realm
wou/4 ,\now 1/ud thej()Urney took 1/9lk lht nornud {Atlantium), If both places exist in the same faerie
rime. On 11 botch, tlu: journey bills longer (roll 11 realm, the difficulty of creating a new correspondence
simplt die imd multiply the result by tkt nonnal time dejX"i•ds on how similar the places are. Creating a
fvr the journey). corresponden(e between a Celtic burial mound in
Ireland and a Scythlan burial mound Jn eastern Europe,
The Storyguide needs to remember the time as between any pair of similar but not directly related
well as the distaflCe differentials between the morta.I places, Involves a creating correspondence roll of 18+.
world and Arcadia. The procedure for time differentials For two unrelated places, like a filerie forest and a faerie
in the "Entering Arcadia" seclion may be used. rf a cave, the roll would be 24+ or mon-.
simpler way is wanted for troupes just U5lng a faerie
trod, examine the roll made for finding the entrance to
Arcadia. If the roll for finding a WBY into Arcadia is not Stories In Arcadia
botched, there is not a huge diffeiei,tlal time rate
Si1nply visiting Arcadia and inkT'aeting with its
between the two realms. H this roll is botched, the total
inhabitants may be enough for most troupes, bul for
time spent on the journey su11>5 like a few hours, or a
troupes who wish to interact more with Arcadia, there is
day or two, when in the mortal world a year or two has
a wealth of pnssibililies. Simple scenarios involve the
""""' troupe seeking some place or person in Arcadia which Is
Should the troupe wish to travel between two needed In the mnrtal world.
faerie places with no obvious oorrespondenres, the
troupe may be able to create a new correspondence, and
so forge a path betwren the two places. To do this, a few Extmpll gratUI: Somront c011ld be lost or
a1pl11red and Jaken (lUJ(l1j tv ArtadUI, and /ht lroupe
mwst try lo find then and bring thimr luck lo lhe
m<>rllll world. Such an aduenfurt eotJ/d illVlllvt' /he
chaniictm seeing only tht wild IV'tJlS of Arcadia and
lht wild ftwies who live therl!', while more daring
Storygu.idts could inoo/ve the troupe in the inlrir.a­
cits of tht life Df the noble and txmtplex Daoint Sidhe.

For Storyguidcs with a deep and abiding

interest ln Arcadia, or for troupes with faerie or part
faerie characters, an even deeper level of interaction may
be desired. The troupe may be asked to cume to Ar­
cadia, or may simply be magically transported to
Arcadia to pcrfonn some servire for the Oaoine Sidhe.
In addition to their treati\ity, knowledge of the
mortal world, and the abilily to touch iron, faeries may
wish to have the help of mortal!> to defeat other mortals
ticsp;assing in Arcadia, perhaps even diaboli!Jts, or ii
faerie lord may wish mortal help against other faeries.
Mortals may be outside the bounds of faerie life and so
able to go and do things fat>ries cannot or will not do. lf
the troupe contains a talented mu�ician, entertainer or
artist, the faeries may simply want to meet this person
and see their work.
Except for those areas most romplctely con­
trolled by the Dominion, stories about filerles play a
major role in the local folklore. Historical tales from the
put of the world in which your troupe is ba!Jed may be
used to get Ideas forinleresting e...peditions into this
mystic land (see lhe bibliography for help). Altema-

CHAPTEA FoUA: Arcadia 41

rlvely, you may invent your own stories from scratch. Once you've finally started adventuring in
The Storyguide's responsibility is to d�ermine which of Arcadia, don't Jet it spoil. The group's dynamics should
the tales and legends contain truth, and how much truth hint at how to proc:eed , Either make Arcadia adventures
is In each tale. II is the player's responsibility, however, a rare event, or begin to slowly build up the idea that the
to decide ifthey wish tu activcly investigate faerie more normal Arcadia seciaa to the characters, the more
rumors. actively avoid faerie issues, or sit back and lt'I alien the "real" wmld is bc>coming. ft is the atmosphere
the Storyguide decide what to lay al lhcir feel. of Arcadia that is specia l; never let it bcool'l'I(> mundane.
Stories involving Arcadia require special
creativily and careful attention from the players. They
2. CONSTANCY.
require patience, hard thinking. and, most importantly,
flexibility from Storyguides. Some players are unhappy Do not make Arcadia the land of whimsy ­
with the shifling landi;capes and unusual laws of lhe where all your fanck>s ran become real, ins�ntly. It is a
faerie realm. It is easy to beronle frustraled by the place, like Christendom is a plare, or the caslles of the
seeming lack of cause and effect in An-adia. and by the nobllily are places, or the way a covenant is a plare. II
machinations of beings !IO poW-Orful that the charactel'll has Its own laws, fonns and standards. Within its
may i;eem mere pawn:>. promise of Infinite variety, there should always be the
sense that the traveller is in some part of a universe
It is recommended that Slnryguides start slowly
called An::adia. You should always maintain some slim
with faerie adventuring. carefully gauging player and
sense of constancy.
character reactions before throwing everyone into full·
blown faerie adventures. U player frustraticm with the You can do this by always including a faerie
faeries does not dcaease as understanding increases, do quality to Arcadia, not a Storyguide quality (that means
nol run adventure!! In Arcadia (and tone down all ot\\t'r you), e�n though you might be its in!C'rprelc'r. Think of
faf.!rie stories). The world of faerie can ronlribute refereeing a game in Arradia as writing a formal poem.
significandy to •ny game without becoming the subject You can say artythi11g you wish In your 50nnct, as long as
of adventwes. Mysterious legends that illuminate i t stays within the form. The finished piece looks Jil<c a
events in the mortal world, occasional encounters with sonnet, sounds like a sonnet, but carril's yvur message
Numinll Mani, NrC advisors among the more human· and your vision.
like faeries, or people with faerie blood can all be used Once you get a clear idea of the basic rules of
without pushing faC'ries too far into lhe foieg1ound for Arcadia, always work within them. If you play by the
such groups. Faeries can also add a mysterious touch lo rules, the play('l".5 will believt' in the Arcadia you create.
many kinds of scenarios. Even if they don't undcn;tand what those rules are, they
U players and Storyguides are interested in the they
will 5enl§C that are there.

challl'nges of faerie gaming. then journeys to Arcadia are Equally important, you must give the players a
strongly warranted. There are three 15sues Storygu!des chance to learn from their experiences. For a Saga to
!lho11ld keep in mind for successful Arcadia adventures. work, it must always seem IQ the playerll that there are
mies, and that, over time, they are making some prog·
ress In understanding lhem. They must understand why
I. UNIQUENESS.
things happen as they do in Arcadia and how to make
Faerie lcgt•1tds are fascinating. rt is very tempt· things happe11 that will accomplish what the characters
Ing for imaginative Storyguides to invent vast faerie want. They must learn to masll-r Arcadia.
SC<'l\atios and to force them upon the players right away.
There are rules in Arcadia--- there are always
11 ls also probably a bad mistake. Faerie material is a rules. They are just di ffe1e11t fn•m the rules of the mortal
vast blnquet. You cannot serve the twelve story layer
workl. Very, very difft>rent.
cake first and cxpoct your players to appicdate the
banquet as a whole. Start with the more common and
lctl5 exotic faeries. Reward persistent or imaginative 3. PUEEDOM.
players with a gllmp!ie of something greater, or an
Our knowledge of Arcadia romes to us through
unexpected piece of s�ia1 knowledge from a suppos· faerie tales. The most common mistake a Storyguide can
edly minor faerie being. Grogs areas likely to recclve
make when oontrolling a I� place- is to make
these insights as magi.
what happens there a legend, and in the process become
Weave a tapestry of Faerie Lore into your game: a sloryteller instead of a Storyguide. If player characlers
do not expect playcn to kcl awed by a visit to A«adla If do not know how to make something hapJXn in
you haven't provided the build·up that lets players Arcadia, do not do it for thL>m. Nudge them along the
share their characle'l's' feelings that this is something path of lea.ming. so they do lhings for th�·mi;elvcs
special. Serve one course at a time-, a.nd make sure you instead.
start with the appetizers and not the cake.

•• PAl!IllfS: A Complete Harulbooll of the Seelie

 Exeinp/i gnltil: A group ofadpmturers mvrls
lo reoch Caer Arionrod, the castle t1{ the Tuntha de
Danann. They know thil.t Ca.er Arionrod is lhe
constelhltiDn Corona Bortillis and have entered
Arcadia to get there. Now they are stumped. No one
has a clue of what to do next. ll's your worsl
nightmare, Ilse clsar11clers we going to gd lost in
Arcadia, and !hep/ayers are gafng to blame you.

There is something you can do however. First of

all, you can give an appropriate character a chance to
know a legend, for instance, that the faerie's sacred ash
tree is supposed to have roots that reach the core of the
earth and branches that touch the sky. Then let them
decide what to do. Never create a breeu to carry them
off or make a giant tree appear, just to be ronvenil'nt.
The hardest part of being a Storyguide instead
of a storyteller is giving the characters complete freedom
of action, becau5e they so often don't do what you
expect. Suppose you decide the characters can get to
Caer Arionrod by climbing the ash tree, and over the last
three stories have carefully given them clues. However,
there Is an over-active imagination in all the players that
comes out when they first contact Arc<idia. Creativity is
llOmelimes more than you can deal with in a world
where imagination is everything.
During the game session, a grog looks at a dew­
covered landscape you just dtstlibed, spots a rainbow,
and decides to climb it. Or a companion astrologer
reasons that, sine<' the abodes of all the Tuatha de
Danann seem to be in the sky, their part of Aroadia must
be in the sky. She decides to use her star charts as maps
to lead the group to Caer Arionrod. They use their
imagination to solve the puzzle, instead of their reason·
ing the way they are ..supposed too."
If a player's reasoning violates the general rules
of Arcadia, or the specific rules you as lhe Storyguide
hiive decided are important, then don't let it work.
Always allow the players to try anyway, and deal with
the con!iequences. However, if the only reason a
character's idea wouldn't work is that you hildn't
planned things that way, then let 11 work. Let lht.'m ''get
away" with it.
The power of lhl' imagination to create reality is
just as great in Arcadia as It is in a Storygulde's m!nd. If
an idea creates a practical problem in the .scenario, like
getting a group to some place so quickly thilt it ruins the
plot, then you have several options. Arcadia offers
many legitimate Storygu!de aids - differential time
rates, faeries hostile lo mortals, hypnotic faerie dance:;
and games, and helpful or hostile powers who can shape
events more easily than any human being. But instead
of molding the players to your vision of the world or the
story, mold your story and world to the player...

CHAPTER PouA: Arcadia 43

 Chapter Five: Faerie
Attributes
Each faerie is a unique creature, unhamess<.>d by the restrictions of race or breed.
Faeries are natural extensions of the caprice of na1ure1 of thl' crcalivity, the pattern and
the flaw of the natural world. Never-the-less, there are some things which faeries have in
common. In as much as generalizations arc possible whC'n one
SJX!ilkS of the faeries, we shall try to describe what they are like. One
must be careful not to oveT generalize, to makt• mtlfl' of these
commonalties than there really is.
One obviousqucslion to ask when creating stories
". involving faeries and faeries plaa.-'S is ho"'· f.-icrics usually inti:ract
with humanity. 'fhe;e interactions are quite varied and can take
many forms. A few of the more common ones arc di5CUSSC'd here.

,
.I 'I •

"Borrowing"
,
\ Many faeries, especially minor faeries who li\•e close to mortal fanns and villages
and have no real allegiance to the Seelie or Unseelie Courts, steal from humans. Food is
the most common thing stolen, though they may call ii borrowing. Sometimes the faeries
take the actual food, but more often they take its ''foysonN or subst11ncc, leaving its form
behind. For example, a loaf of bread which has had its Foyson rcmovl.'d wo11ld be vl.'ry
light and dry and would have no nutritional value if <.>att>n. Other items rt>lating to food
art' also tak('TI - grain, flour, even cattle, and in all cases, the fat'rics may l.'ither take tht>
actual item or its foyson. To the faeries, and to someone with second sight, the f(1ysi.1n
will look just like the actual food, and the food from which ii wa!> taken will !o(.'(.'111 ht>llow
and insubstantial.
Faeries do not steal from everyone - good, generous people will rarely, if ever,
experience faerie thefts. Faeries steal from those who cam
their disfavor, from the selfish,
the slovenly, the miserly, and the overly and boastfully pious. A5 an e:tample of this kind
of behavior, the old Cll"pression "don't cry over spilled milk'' was in part an imploration
to be gL'nerous, since the faeries would get the spilt milk, and crying too much over it
was seen to be petty and stingy, and could earn disf.1vor. The 11nsp<1km la t s p.lrl tlf thc:­
phrasc ls llc<:ause s.omcone will benefit from it," meaning the faeriL>s.

fAERl£5: A Complete Handboolil oi the Seelie

 equally likely thal faeries would kidrup such people. If
Trade the person's petformance is qui le good, lhe £aeries may
The same faeries who steal from mortals they even ask for a repeat performance, and if it was superb,
they may not allow then1 to leave.
dislike will also dea1 quite happily with mortals who
respect them and their ways. Faeries may also borrow in general, trade with the faeries can be risky,
things with the intent to retum- primarily milk, grain but if it is done carefully and with respect, it can be
and similar foodstuffs, as well as oo:aslonal agricultural highly profitable. Dilly through trade is it safe to take
implements. When a f&erie comes lo borrow from a ms from the faerie realm
mortal, they ask politely and expect their request to be
granted unless they are given a good reason. However,
they always repay their debts promptly and with faerie Kldnaplnlls
generous inte'Iest, although they always rt'pay their
debts with barley or similar faerie products. Sometimes faeries will steal people rather than
things. There are two major types of faerie kidnapings.
The best way to deeply upset and anger a faerie
In the first type, the faeriea kidnap people beca11se of
is to refuse a reasonable request tu borrow something or
some sp:.<t:ial talent or characteristic they poseess - great
to insult or question a faerie's repayment in quantity or
physical beauty, artistic or musical talent, exceptionally
quality. Faeries may also loan special iWms out to
strong faerie blood, or somet!Ung of the like. After a
mortals. For example, In return for a small payment in
mortal has bee11 kidnaped by !he faeries, he or she wtll
whe.al or flour, the peopll• of a small fanning village may
be pampered and well-treated, but will not be released
be able to go to a nearby faerie mound and borrow a
under normal circumstances. Escape, especially if aidC'd
large magic cauldron which turns plain food placed in it
by other mortals, and bargaining for freedom are all
Into a large, wonderful feast. However, should they ever
possibilities. Sometimes the captivity will be more
forget to return it, lhe cauldron will become a useless old
subtle. The faeries transform some of the people Ihey
brass cooking pot and the faeries will never trade with
kidnap i11to fae1ies, so they no longer fit into !he normal
them again.
mortal world. However, if desired. there are several
Sometimes, faeries wish mortals to provide ways of regatningone's humanity, although these
services ralher than goocts. There are n'\ilny cases of proredures always require the aid of a morta\_
faeries coming to mortals (often in di,;gul5e) lo ask a
midwife, a veterinarian, a seamstress, or a deaning
person to do a task for the faeries. Only when the person
anives at the faerie's home does it become obvious for
whom they are working. The tasks set by the faeries The second type of faerie kidnaping involves
(delivering a child, cleaning up the house for a special children. As a ru1e, !iUch kidnapings are exchanges in
occasion, etc.) usually take less than a day to romptete-­ which the faeries kidnap a mortal child and replace it
faeries never request mortals tu come for Jong-taa1 with a faerie #changeling.'' Reasoru; fC1r such exchanges
service. Once that task is complete, mortals will be sent are manifold. However, changeling is a blanket term
home with a reward {a$Uming the job was wel\�one which covers several distinct types of faerie kidnap­
and they didn't ask too many questions). Sometimes the pings. The best known involves the theft of unprotected
payment is a small charm or ointment which allows a human children by faeries. The child is switched with
person to see faeries or perhaps perform some minor one o/ three things: a very old faerie which resemblt's a
magical feat such as breathing underwater (if the faeries wizened child, a faerie child (sometimes deformed ), or a
were water faeries). More oflen, i t is a closed bag which wooden stick or image, All arc enchanted to rcse111blt'
lhey are told not to open until they gct home or a minor the stolen child, but do not act in the same ways.
and mundane noward such as a bundle of straw cir a Though the family may nol realize what is occuning.
handful of leaves. If the person complains or protests at there are enough differences in behavior to due in the
this payment, the faeries becomequlte upset, lake back family if they have time to notice (which most serf
the payment, and throw the person out. If the closed bag families do not, but noble families certainly would).
is opened before It is takc11 home, all that wlll be found Some changelings, however, fit in much better than
inside will be lumps of coal or .some similar material. others, especially the ones who are not deformed and
How�, if the person takes the gift graciously and look ldentiral to the original baby.
t.lkes it home with him, the roal or 5traw will lransh>nn Old faeries become changelings as a means of
lnto gold or jewels upon arrival (the previousappear­ gaining new cxperienres as well as regaining their
a� was an illusion - they always were gold llr jewels). youth. NOi all faeries grow old, but for some r€'ason
Often, more regal and powerful fal!ries will some of them do; this uncomfortable situation can be
requt>st the presence of talented musicians or storytellers alleviated by growing up all over again. The parents
and pay them in a similar fashion. Howevllr, it is can force the faeries to take back tht' wizened baby a11d

CtiAPTeR FIVE: Faerie Attrlbules ••

n:place the child if they can force the baby to somehow game or when mortals are around, as a way of getting
reveal how old ii is. If the faerie baby is allowed IO sympathy. Other (aeries may act as their parents,
rem31n, the changeling will always seem older than its playing another game, though lhat is not always com·
age and may <"Ven have wrinkles, but it will otherwise �··
grow up normally. However, on the morning of lhe day Half-faeries also exist. Few faerie children
uf its marricige, the changeling will always leave mortal rrniain in the mortal world long enough to have chil­
families and return to the faerie realm. dren of their own, but it does happen. More often,
Deformed faerie children can be mistreated until mortals taken to Arcadia live and have children Ihere.
the faeries rescue them and replace the original child. These children are usually raised as faeries, !hough
They will always be deformed in a way that would ointments and spells must be used to give them a full
match their faerie form {e.g. a Dwarf would be a very romplement of "natural'' faerie abilities. Half-faeries are
smaU human), but they will otherwise grow up to be a often drawn to the world in which lhey were not raised.
normal child and adult. There is almost no means of for they are bound to it by blood ties.
getting back lheuriginal child whl.'ll it was repl&Ct.'CI by a Very rarely. special circumstances arise in which
wooden doll, for faeries care nolhing for images. The a child may live in one world bul maintain contact with
stulcn child must be kidnapped back in such instances, parents in another. Mortal children whose mo1hers have
though 90metimes a tTadc will be possible. been stolen to nul'K' faerie babies may be cared for
The stolen mortal child who is not rescued may nightly by a visitor from Arcadia. A resp:."L'ted mortal
be transformed Into a faerie or raised by the faeries to be might be asked by the faeries to godfather a child whose
an intermediary between the faeries and mortals. Faerle­ faerie father has died, to give the child l'X(>erience that
raised mortals usually return to the mortal world, at would keep II safe even in the mortal world. Many
least Intermittently, as adults. strange interactions are possible, though they are always
1.Jealthy faerie children only appear among rare. High Faeries, and a few wilderness faeries, are
mortals In one of two cil'cumstanl'.'CS -either the faeries usually the ones involved in creating changellngs.
lend them to mortals or mortals steal them from faeries. Some changelinp manage to grow up fully
Faerie children nursed by a mortal woman may develop convinced. Iha! they are human. They can usually
the mortal abilities to create and tu exist iru:k>pendently inleract with mortals normally and their faerie powers
of Arcadia. High Faeries treasure these powers so much rorely manifest themselves. However, such powers (and
that they sometimes risk a healthy faerie child as a weakness.).->s can be awakened when they come in
changeling until it is weaned. They will steal It back to contact with other faeri('S or when journeying into faerie
Arcadia Oot'e weaned. and keep the mortal child until �. Once the changeling realizes he is a faerie, it is
then as insurance that the mortals will not try to keep often difficult for him or her to return to the mortal
the faerie child and lose their own. The mortal child kept world. Those who do will often attach themselves to
hostage may gain minor faerie virtues from Its early magical covenants. and make good Companion charac­
captlvity, or may grow into a strange adult. Poet!!, tera.
visionaries. and strange men and women who become
Morta1s who have been kidnapcd by faeries may
weakened and confused in places where Faerie Aura's
also grow up believing that they are faeries. It is rare
once were strong are said tu be created In this way.
that they ever return lo the mortal world, as they are
Sometimes such an exchange becomes permanent, and
often strongly guarded by their faeril' captors and taught
both sides usually care enough for the forcign child to
to £ear mortals as any faerie does. Ha kidnaped mortal
raise lt asbesl they can.
returns to his own land, he will be very uncomfortable
Mortals steal faerie childnm, as well, though there. bul may in lime team cif his lrue origin$ and 1'.'0mc
usually by accident. People who fmd an unattended to auxpl the mortal world.
baby by a 5tream or in a wood may bring home a faerie
child whose mother was momentarily absent. Such
children can be raised as mortals, but they will always Faeries Amon11 Mortals
be somewhat different. Their faerie parents often cannot
find them to try and bring them back, so they usually Sometlmes faeries will come to live with mor­
grow 10 adulthood as mortals. Upon reaching adult­ tals, usually because a faerie and a mortal fall in Jove. In
hood, most discover their true heritage and relum to the vast majority of such cases, the mortal does not
Arcadia. Those who do not may find themselves carried know the faerie b a faerie, although 110metimes this fact
there the first time they enter a lake, swim in the ocean, is discovered after the two of them are married. In any
travel into a faerie forest, or visit a faerie site. event, the faerie will always have some secret which �
One thing which must be understood is that fae1ies mortal is asked never to question. Examples of such
do not actually have children, but !hat some faeries seaels include never opening a locked chest, never
decide IO appear a! babies ordtildren as a part of a asking the faerie about its home or background, or

46 FAERIES: A Complete Handbooil of the Seelle

simply never flndtng out the faerie is a faerie. U this
secret is uncovered, the faerie will immediately ll'ilve the
mortal, never to return, unless lhe mortal can approach
1he faerie's family and ask to be given a number of very
difficult tasks to perform to win the faerie back (many
story ideas could arue
from aiding someone on sud\ a
quesO. On rare occasions, the mortal will discover the
faerie lo be a faerie, and will be invi'ttld to come Ii� in
Arcadia, or in a faerie place, where the mortal can stay
as long as 90me seoet is not uncovered, or someaction
not perf .
ormed U this taboo is broken, the mortal will
ln5tantly be transported back to the mortal world, never
ti> return.

faerie Gifts
One tmpcntanl part of f�e/human interac­
tions are the gifts faeries give to mortals. Gifts are used
by faeries to rew;ird human !lefVice. These gilts are
generally of an unusual nature. Sometimes they are
magical charms which allow the person to ny. breathe
underwater, become Invisible, or some similar magical
ability. More often, they consist of transformed weal th.
To the gracious and deserving, the faeries give gold and
jewels disguised as !f'lings of little valut> such as straw,
leaves or co;al. These items then assume real fonn the
next day or when the bearer brings th<!m to his home. To
the gnocdy 11nd ungrate.ful, the faeries give leaves and
straw disguised as gold and jewels, which revert 10 their
true form the neict day, or somE.'tlrre when the persons
to whom they were given tries to spend them. AJJ faerie
gilts partake of faerie magic and faerie morality, and like Brew faerie Potions
faeries, most are not what they seem; an old worn-out
hat may allow the wearer to breathe underwater and a
A faerie with this ability can manufacture one
lump of mat may be a nugget of gold in disguise. polion after 12 hours of worlt. A potion o.n be lnstilll.'d
with one of the faerie's other abilities, including any
spell-lih abilities. At higher Faerie Point costs,. more
faerie Abilities potions can be brewed in a 12-hour period, and tile
bre<wer- can also use abilities from other faeries (or even
Many of lhe faeries presented in this book share mortals). Common faerie potions are Faerie Sight, Water
similar abilities. These abilities arc listed below for ease Breathing (CrAql. and Invis:ibility (Pclm). Sometimes
of reference. These are the "standard" abilities for potions with special or more long-te t111 powers and

faeries, though some abilitics may diffi!r in specili

c cases. effects can be created, but these take at least a month to
Each ability will include guidelines on Faerie Point COSt5, brew.
with higher point costs meaning a more powerful use of Any mortal drinking the potion undergoes the
the ability The exact point cO&t will wry with the
.
effects of the ability imbued In it. Duration is one hour
individual faerie, depending on its power. Faaie Point per Faerie Point spent on brewing the potion. Nonnally,
costs for abilities generally rang-e from 1 (very weak faerie potions do not arrect faer1C?S, but the rare one' that
ability) to 20 <very powerful ability). The Sroryguide do, have no efft>ct on mortals.
should dl'Cide the specific abilities and Faerie Point cosls
for individual faeries In his S.ga based on the sugges­
tions provided in the faerie descriptions. Chanqe Size
Note that these abilities are not
spells. They This ability allows the faerie to change its sill!
cannot be resisted by nonnal magic. Some faeries may either up or down by a number of Size points (see Ari
have abilities that do work like spells- the5t' will be M�ia, p. 25) e<jUal to fhe Faerie Point cost Thus, a Size
indicated in the individual descriptions. ·2 faerie with a Change Size .ability a I a co�t of 3 could go

CffA.PTER fivi: Faerie Attrfbu1es 47

up to +1 in Size or down to -5. Soffl(' faeries can use this not become aware of this fact until much later in the
ability only to shrink or grow {but not both) - this will Saga, but an area known to Ix espx!ally f�·rtile or
be specifiOO in the be5tiaf)'. infertile will be a clue to the existence of .a faerie with
this abil ity.

Charm
Control Person
A mortal who is charmed by a faerie does
anything that the faeril.'.' wills. The subject can resist any This ability works similarly to Con trol Anim;ll,
command of the faerie by rolling Int + Per and exceed· only it allows the faerie to ha\'e control over a single
ing an east' factor set by the Storyguide. A higher Faerie mortal. The effecls are similar to the Rego Mcntem spell
Point cost usually means a higher case factor. Enslave the Mortal Mind, with the target getting an
The Charm ability only works through some inidal chance to resist by rolling Stm + Int. The ease
sort of contact between the faerie and its subjccl At factor of the roll depends on the Faerie Point cost_
Faerie Point costs up 1{1 5, the subject must be !ouched. Additional resistance rolls may be.> allowed when the
At costs of 6 to 10, the subjl!ct must hear the faerie's subject is made to do things strongly against his or her
voice. At costs above 10, simply the sight of the faerie is will. As in the Control Animal ability, only initial
enough to charm tht' subject. Tht' Olarm ability lasts as Contact is needed between thl' faerie and the subject to
longas lhe contact (whatever type) is maintained be controlled.
between the faerie and the subject.

Communicate With Animals/Plants

Faeries with this ability can t--xchange informa­
tion with animal and/or plant life. The Faerie Point cost
should be used as a guideline for the complexity of the
information that can be exchanged, with 1 point mean­
ing simple yes/no qu<!Stions and up to 20 points mean­
ing a total exchange of feelings and knowledge.

Control Animals
This ability allows the fa('rie to c:onl:TOI a single
animal, the size of whlch inCrt'ases with the Faerie Point
cosL Subtract 6 from lhe Faerie Poinl cmt to determine
the Size score o f the animal that can be controlled {see
the Size Table on page 25 of Azs Maglca). Thus a Faerie
Point cost of 3 allows the faerie to control an animal of
Size.-3 (cat).
Each full expenditure of Faerie Points allows
control of an animal for 12 hours. After initial contact,
the sub)cct docs not have to continuously be in contact
with the faerie to be controlled - there is no limit to
how far the two can be separated. However, the faerie
must concentrate on the controlled animal in order to
"will" it to do a particular task Naturally, the animal
.

cannot be willed to do anything outside its normal

abilitiCll (unless the faerie has somehow enhanced them).

Control Fertility
This abllily allows the faerie to limit or
enhance the fertility of a given area equal lo the Faerie
Point cost iTI acreage. This ability aff«ts all reproduction
in the area, plant and animal, Naturally, characters may

.. fAEDIES: A Complete Handbooll: of the. SeeUe

Create Invisible Barrier Encban� Music/Voice
This ability allows the (aerie lo c:reale a barrier A faerie with this ability is able to pmduc-e
uru:rossable by mortals. The length and height of the beautiful music that has an effect 01'I mortals who hear it.
barrier is equal lo the Faerie Points expended in yards. The exact effects depend on the Faerie Point cost. A cost
The banier is invisible to mortal eyes but can be detected of 3 or less simply calms the subject, while a cost of 4 to 7
by those with Faerie Sight. This barril?l' can only be causes immobilization. At rosts of 8 or more, the target
created within the faerie realm. effectively comes under the faerie's limited control, as in
the Ch.arm ability. However, the subject cannot resist th!'
faerie as long as he can hear the music.
Curse
Faeries who produce End\anting Music do so
At low costs, this ability allows the faerie to via an instrument, whkh th<!y must be able to play in
cause minor annoyances in mortals, such as curdling order to use the ability. The Enchanting Voice ability
milk, preventing bread from rising, etc. At high costs, a ('an be used by a faerie who is able to !Jing (i.e. his mouth
Cu.rsc can cause p<moistent nlghlmares, prevent a patch or throat is not ln some way restrained}. Note that soml!
ol land from supporting Uk, etc. The S1oryguide shcmJd faeries have both types of abilities. The cffecb; Qf En·
customize lhe curse to the nature of lhl' tnmsgn.?59ion chanting Mllliic/Voke last as long ll!l the musi(' is being
committed against the faerie. produced.

Elemental Control Enchant Objects

This ability allows the faerie control over one of A faerie with this ability is able to mate magical
the magical fonns Aquam, Auram, lgncm, or Terram. item;. A faerie can create a number of magical items
Some faeries may be able lo control two fo11115, and rarer each day equal to its Faerie Point cost. Each item created
still arc thooe who have mastery over three. A faerie can only be imbued with a spell or ability known to the
with Elei:nental Control can utilize the spells associated faerie. The level or Faerie Point cost is used tn determine
with the form up to a Levd eq11.11i1 to 5 times the Faerie the Base level of the object's effect (5t'C p. 104 o( Azs
Point cost of the abllily. For example, a faerie with Magia).
Elemental Control (Aquam) with a Faerie Point cost of 6
<'lln use Aquam spells up to level 30, The spells are not
#casr and do not require a roll - the cfkcts of lhe spell Faerie Sight
are simply produced by the faerie.
See the Faerie Sight virtue on page 93. Gt'tlerally1
Faerie Sight has no Faerie Point cost.
Elfshot
Elfshot is a special type of faerie dart or armw Fll\lht
that affects mortals. The effect of elfshot on mortals
deperids on the Faerie Co!it 10 use the ability (paid by the This ability allows the faerie to fly a number o(
faerie each time elfshot is used): miles equal to the Faerie Point cost before having to
touch ground again. Some faeries arc able to bestow this
ability on others, whether mortal or faerie.
1-3 Cause Pain for +2 rounds.. Subject must
roll lnt + Sbn of 12+ lo peifonn any
action. Glamour
4·7 Cause Visions for +3 rounds. Subject can Glamour is a very powerful illusion. A faerie
petfo1Ill 110 actions. with the> Glamow ability is able lo cn-ale illusions which
8·10 Cause pet11ianent paralysis in affected are effectively "real" as long as the faerie is present. The
part ofbody. Faerie Point cost regulates the size of the illusion (sub·
11·15 Cause peiutanent madnl'.'SS. tract 6 ITom the Faerie Point cost and consult the tlblc on
16+ C11u$e im;la.nl death. page 35 of Ars Magka.). An illusion produced by
Glamour will appear real to all five .senses 11nd can affecl
the physic.al world. 1he fal'ric must maintain a lint' of
Elfshot is considered a ranged weapon for all sight on the illusion to sustain its eidstence. Onre the
purposes and faeries using it have a limited supply faerie is out of sight of the Illusion, t1r ceases to t"Oncen­
(generally4 to 6) whidt can be replenished after a trate upon it, the illusion disappears. However, any
combat seooion by the Ench.ant Objects ability. effecl the illusion may have had on the world remains
(including physical evidence such as footpri11ls).

CJIAPT'fR flVE: faerie Attributes 49

Illusion Prophecy
An illusion is ;m image created to fool the This ability allows the faerie 10 accuraiely
senses. It is not "reel" and has no effect on the physical p1• age future events. Naturally, this can cause prob­
world. This ability allows lhe faerie to produre the lems for the Stof}'guidc, since he may not know the
effects of Ctoo lmligonem spells. Multiply the cost In outcome of such events. Consequently, such prophecies
Faerie Points by S to determine the Level of spells that should be in the form of vague references to infonnatlon
can be produced. The illu5ion created lasts as long as the lo which the Storygulde is privy and that will likely
faerie concentrates on it. Remember that only the effects affect the characters In the future. The Faerie Point cost
of the spells are beingproduc:ed - this ability does not can be used as a guideline for how far Into the future the

work Uke • real spell. faerie can foresee, with 1 point being the next day, and
up to 20 points for the end of the mortal's lilelime or
beyond.
Infatuation
This ability produces an amorous attraction in
Sbapecblllle
lf to Animal
roonals of the opposite gender. 'The mortal is not
clwmed or controlled, but will be attracted to the faerie This ability allows the faerie to Ille on the form
and may rail In love with it given enough time. A mortal of an .mimal. Subtl'llCt 6from the Faerie Point cost lo
has one cha.nee to roll Int+ Stm to resist the lnfatuOltiOD, dete111i1 ne the: size of the animal. The faerie remains In
the ease factor dependiTig on the Faerie Point cost of the animal form up to one hour for every Faerie Point spent.
ability. While in animal form, the faerie retains its own
Infatuation works either by sight or by voice, Int and Per scores. It cannot use any of its own physical
and is thus considerixl two separate abillties. Some abilities such as Stealth or Pidt Locks, but lt dOC"S take
faeries may possess both types of Infatuation al differ­ on the abilities of the animal.
ent Faerie Point costs.

SbapecbaDlfe to Object
lnvisibWty
This ability is Similar to Shapechange to Anl•
Use of tllisability prevents � faerie from being 11\al, but allows the faerie to take the fonn of any inani·
detected by mortal senses (all senses, not just vision). male ob)ect. The size of lhc object is determined as per
Inmibility lasts up to one hour per F11erie Point n­ Sm.ptthange to Animal, 11s iS m..ximum time spent in
pended, though most faeries with this ability are able to object form. The object may be anything the faerie
control their invisibility during thls period. For example, chooses, and may be made of 11ny material exrept iron. It
at a Faerie Point cost of 3, the faerie can be Invisible for can be used by mortals and faeries as if it were a real
up lo 3 houl'li before having to spend points again. object (which It ls, as Jong as the faerie is in that fonn).
However, during that 3 hour period, the faerie can
willingly nuctuate between visibility and invisibility.
Invisibility does not work against other faeries, demons, ShapecbanQe Other to Animal
or those with Sitc0nd Sight.
This abllity works similarly to Shapechu,ge to
Animal, but ii affects one othel' mortal or faerie in the
Insubstantial Form faerie's sight. The sl� of the animal and the duralion of
the shapechange is regulated by the Faerie Point rosl.
This. ability allows the faerie to assume a non­
physical fonn. Physical objects cannot affect a raerte
using Insubstantial Fonn, nor can such a faerie affect the Sbapecban�e Other to Object
physical world. This ability does not make the faerie
As per Shapechange to Object, but affecting onl'
invisible, rather, the faerie beco111es a ghostly apparition.
other mortal or faerie in the faerie's sight.
ln1ub11tuitLll Fonn can be sustained up to one
hour for every Faerie Point expended. As per Invisibll·
ity, the faerie can willingly control hl!iO fonn during thait Faerie Wea&nesses
period.
Faeries are nol all-powerful beings. They have a
number of strong vulocrabilities thal do not arfect

50 fAEAIES: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

mortals. Consequenlly, these vulnerabilities C"an be used
by mortals to keep the faerie world in check. The weak­
t'ICSOO!> in this chapter are assumed to affect all Iaeries in

the bestiary, but there arc some special cases and

exceptions, and these will be noted where appllcable.

Iron
Iron, like a.'ftain animals, plants and other
objl'cts, has faerie as.sodations. Not all of these associa­
tions are negative for the faeries, however. Iron teeth,
claws and fingemails are common creations among
certain types of faeries. Iron is not a poisonous or "anti­
faerie" substance; rather, ii is a magical substance whose
magic is particularly felt by the faeries. No one is sure
why iron is especially potent. The most commonly held
belicl isthat ii is a ''new" substance, and faeries have
limits in their dealings with it because they have diffi­
culty with modem things. Iron is not always a "new"
substance, however. There is such a thing as faerie iron,
and it ls ancient (see Insert). Normal (i.e. non-faerie)
iron does have negative elfects on many faeries. These
effects are not universal - faeries with iron body parts
never have difficulty with iron. These who live in
situations and parts of the world where the use of iron is
common and ancient (harvest faeries, mine faeries, city
faeries) are the least likely tohave trouble with it. Some
clergy maintain that the faerie vulnerability to iron
comes from the power of the iron nails in the cross.
Many smiths, however, think that the common fairies
are vulnerable to irc)n because iron working is particu­
lc1rly the craft and power of mortals; unlike stone, clay, heat-forged iron but not cast iron, any kind of iron but
wood and gold, iron was first worked by human hands. lodestone, etc.
Whatever the source of the vulnerability, it does Generally, it is low faeries and humans \.l.ith
Cldst in many faeries, but not alway$ in the same form. blood
fat'rie who expf'rience disromfurt from iron.
Some faeries are �ly uncomfortable with iron. Others Faeries who interact with humans on a regular basis \.l.·ill
are destroyed by it. The following is a list of lhe possible usually suffer from this weakness.
effects of iron on faeries. Unless the bestiary entry states
otherwise, all faeries of a particular type tend to have the
same reaction to iron. Multiple effu<:ts are possible on the 2. Vulnerability to Iron
same faerie or faerie type. Touching iron hurts as if it were red hot. Such
faeries take no damage or minimal damage from simply
I. Discomfort from Iron touching an iron objl'ct (although ii hurts a groat deal),
but do take +I to +50% (depending on the faerie) extra
Iron is ugly stuff. Dealing with it ls like throw­
damage from wounds inflict-ed by any iron object. They
ing out a dead sku11k. These faeries will Mve lo make
cannot cast spells on iron , and iron ignores the efft>cts of
stress rolls rather than nonnal rolls on all abilities when
any magi.cal or faerie ability they have used (an Iron
iron is at close range or near them. Magic cast under
weapon, for instance, would penetrate such a faerie's
these conditions has a double botch roll, as does magic
magical annor as if it did not exist). In extreme cases,
cas! on any peTSOn or creature touching any iron object.
wounds inflicted by iron will not heal normally. These
They will have no iron tools, weapons, or household
faeries hate iron and will always treat the presence of
goods, and may be cx11e111ely offended by mortals who
iron antl<'r or weapons on m(1rtals as indicating tht>
deal with them while carrying such objeets. A mortal
mortals' intention to do them harm. They willnever
who chooses to practice crafts or use tools and weapons
befriend a blacksmith or a villagc that supports a smithy.
that do not use iron may earn their Spc'C'ial favor. Occa­
They will mislead horses shod in iron and bum iron­
sionally, discomfort may be limited to certain types of
works when they can.

Ct!APTER Fm:: faerie Attributes SI

 Most wildei1iess faeries suffer from this weak· item,. or insure the return of mortals who visit faerie
ness. FaerlCll that live i n isolared areas il!ld rarely �ve realms by mentioning iron in a 5f!Oken charm <1r phrase.
contact with humans almost alw;i.ys will be vulneruble ID This action must be taken before the promise Is acted
iron. upon, the item is borrowOO or the people depart in
order to work. If ii is done in a quiet, inoffensive way,
the faeries are not generally insulted. It may be that they
3. 5£nSlthlty to Iron
recognize the ilCI as creating a true faerie
vow, which
Faeries who are sensitive to iron cannot directly cannot honorably be broken. More violent bindings, like
or indirectly affect iron, mortals who wear or cany iron, putting a faerie in fetters1 are almost certain to create
or places which are guarded by iron charms. A group of resentment. Many other kinds of iron bindings exist, like
faeries sensitive to iron who were plannlng to kidnap a asking a faerie to swear on an iron rod or sword. The
mortal could not do so when she wu plowing a field, Storyguide ls free to invent them as they seem approprl·
for instancf!, because she would be protected by the iron ....
blade of the plough. An iron pot in the fireplace would
keep them from coming down the chimney, and a
�lucky" hor.ieshoe over the stable door would keep
Furit! Irtm
them from sickening the stabled horses. It would also Furie iro11 COlrlt:5 in two forms. Thefirst fells
keep the friendly brownie fton1 bmding the horses if he from Jh sky or is W11lt4rlhol. i" fU!lds lhuridt!r
11S

were sensitive to iron, however. Note that the iron stones, but only within fht!ftwit! realm. ft is ex­
plough only protects those who are plowing; an iron tmnely difficul.1 to work; only a muster smith (lfbllily
ring will not protect the wearer's companions, and the fcvd of5 or mort), a smith who has aid from ts1rtlt
horaeshoc over lhe door will only protect the livestock flleries, ora faerie smith can forge it. Thefin/.sht!d
while they are in the barn. Faeries who are sensitive to metal has l�c properlies of steel and is the color of
iron have a mystiral, not a physical vulnerability. They silver. This type of[Perie iro11 will never rust, and
do not suffer pain or damage from iron, although In edged wet2p0ns madtfrom it do +1 extra d.:image due
those rare cases when such a faerie c11nnot be affected by hi its ability to hold an exceedingly sharp edge. This
other ob)ects or weapons, iron ones wiU have a normal faerie iron is oflm associated wilh /he Stelk Courl.
eff«t. Such faeries distrust iron. Although they may not The othtrfaerie iron is found ffmting in dart
be 118 hostile as faeries who are hurt or disgusted by iron, spongy masses in cerlilin � swamps. It is
they will take the prese1ice of special iron posseso si ns or extrtmely diffi.cull to smelt, oftengit>ing flffpnison­
charms as a clear sign that !he mortals who have them ous 8f1St:5 whenfirsI ltmltd. Ona smrlted intc solid
are not friendly to their kind. metal, this Iron is extremely tR.S1J to work. The
The High Faeries, 1>Uch as the Daolne Sid.he, are finishd mttal has !he mallealrility and abili!y lo take
sensitive to iron, although this weakness is common as fine detail as lts1d can, though it is considerably
among many different types of faeries. harder. It is the color of lead, and, whi/r ii will not
keep a/iM tdge, II cannot be broken and ainnol be
dmnagU by htal or chmicals. This form offaerie
4. Bound by Iron iron is often associated with the Unstl'lit- Court. Both
Faeries who are bound by iron are forced to forn!s offaerie iron have the e.quiMent ofa magic
behave in certain ways in its presence. The exact nature resistance of +25, 11etWeagainst any attmrpt to
of the binding varies, but usually the fllerie must be destrcry or alt� tht111 (wry Perdo or Muto �11 �
iouched by an iron object to be bound. One common f18Virut Ihm).
form of this vulnerability affects some l'aerle animals and
faeries Jn animaJ l"orrn. H touched by iron (usually in lhe
form of a bit, halter, shoes, milking pail, etc.), they are
bound to lhe possessor of the iron item as If they were Relil!ion
ordinaty domestic animals. Sometimes this binding lasts
Much of wl1at has driven faeries out of the
until the Item is removed, other times only until the next
world is the Domin ion of the Church. Many faeries are
moonrise or full moon, or until the faerie Is poorly
vulnerable to anything of the Dominion, particularly
treated. Another form of iron binding affects more
faeries of the Unseelle Court. Many low faeries are alliO
human-like faeries, who must speak only the truth to
affected, � are some Scclie and wildem� faeries.
any mortal who can capture them i n iron fetlel'$. This
Generally, thedegrre of vulnerability varies with
binding lasts unHI thl' wuch of till' iron is remowd.
individual faeries and faerie places.
A third type involves the use of words that
An item OT plareol Dominion is given a di\1nt"
Invoke the power of iron. Mortals can hold certain
power of 1 to 10. This power is subtracted from lhe
faeries to a promise, force them to retum a borrnwN
Faerie Mighl of the fame. If the number is positive, lhe

52 fAERIES: A Complete Handbool! of the Seelle

item has no effect on the hi�. while a negative number s. Prayer
means the full effects of the item orplace is imp!� A mortal engaged in prayer is essential!y
momt<::d. ''sencrating" divine power points, but usually no more
Note that divine power does not affect all than 2 (if a layperson) or4 (if an ordained pries\). Prayer
faeries. In fact, 90ll"le faeries can normally be fouru:I in will keep faeries away (unless their Faerie Might is
cluurlleS and et11iele:ies. i As a guideline. the more greater than the points being generated), but will not
"remo\'00" a faerie's domain is from civilization, the harm them. 'lbere can also be a psychological effect on
more vulnerable it will be to divine power. the faerie if the praying is loud, passionate, and steeped
In holy words of the Church (invocations of the Trinity,
etc.). Even lhe Latin tongue is psychologically crippli11g
I. Church Bells to faeries who speak the old languages.
The sound of chun::h bells affects many faeries.
Faeries who an- vulnerable to the Dominion will be
severely fatigued if they hear bells while in a faerie
6. Dominion
place. However, If a faerie is in the Dominion and is Most ''civill7.ed" areas are under the sway Clf the
within 100 paces of the church from which the bells Dominion, and Faerie Might is usually reduced there
!lOUnd, the faerie will be turned to dust. If they can hear {see the chart of p. 73 of An Magical. Actual con5C'Cl'atl.'d
the bells, are within the Dominion, but are not within ground (churches, cemeteries, holy shrines, etc.) is very
100 yaids, they have a chance to escape, but will take dangerous to faeries, which is why faeries usually avoid
14+ damage as they begin to tum lo dust each turn they It. Faeries entering consecrated ground are sometitn('S
hear the bette toll. dissipated immodiately, depe11ding on just how vulni:-r·
ablC' that faerie is to Divine power. Even the most
acclamated faeries ofh>n will lvse body and/or fatigu{'
t. Holy Symbols levels while on consecrated ground. Faeries who Live
Holy symbols. such as crucifixes, hosts, t"tc. have within the Dominion {low faeril'S and "human'' faerie5)
little effect on faeries because they do not understand must tread carefully and be very much aware of where
the significance of their symbolism. Howc�r, lf such ground has been consecrated by the Church. Such
objects have bee11 blessed, they affect faeries upon touch, faeries often know of tiny faerie areas to where they can
causing a burning of the skin. Such bums are not severe, retreat and disappear whenever and however long that
but will leave a mark in the shape of the symbol. Thus, a area disappears undt"r the powl'.'I' of the Dominion.
faerie in mortal form can often be disrerned by cross­
shaped bums on the skin.
Monat Creations
3, Holy Relles Since faeries represent the ar1i;lent world, befol't'
the coming of irCln and the Dominion, many faeries,
Items of unique Dominion power, such as
especially high faeries. are susreplib\e to the creation$
shards of the true cross, papal ga1111ents, etc., h.1ve lull
and inventions of mortals. This is especially true of
p.>W\"l" against faeries. A faerie annot come wilhin 100 scientific or mechanical inventions. The faeries not onl)·
paces of any such item. If a holy relic is broughl to a
distrust such devices, but avvid lhtm and anyone
faerie place, It will keep any faerit' phenomena away
associated with them. While there were few great
from the mortal (faerie plants will have no power, the
scientific strides In the Middle Ages, what few there
faerie inhabitants of the place will stay away, etc.). It is were, especially in the area of architecture, agronomy
belteved by some within the Church that such relics can
and military warfare, were enough of• change to furlher
"purify" a faerie place forever if the relic is left there alicnale the faeries. While some faeries arc naturally
pennanently. rurious, their curiosity turns to distrust when confronlcd
with new mortal creations. A mortal wit"lding any
4. Holy We.ter device that has been recently invented may be able to
use it keep faeries from harming him. They fear and ran
This ls a special type of holy symbol which
be easily harmed by such things.
afft.<ls faeries if they are tri("ked into drinking II or
This does not affect all faeril>s many low
washing in it. It then causes a burning sensation which -

renders them Incapacitated until a Int • Stm roll of 12+ faeries have adapted to the mortal world and arc not
can be made. II can aiso be thrown at them with the
aha.id of such devices. Generally, it is the wilderness
same results, but only large amounts (at least a gallon)
faeries and high faeries who fear such devices. Their
will produce the desimd effect. Remember, holy water
powcts are not reduced while in the presence ofmorbll
must be bles8ed by an ordained member of the Oiurch creations, rather, they are afraid to take any actinn
lO beeffective. against lh05E bearing them.

CJ.tAPTl!I:! FIVE; faerie Attributes 53

 /p � i
Chapter Six: Bestiary
House Bonlsagus many times has attempted to calculate, collate and classify the
fabulous and foreign nature of the fay and their magic. For centuries, House Merinila,
the greatest experts in the Order and friends of the faeries, have sat al !ength with their
sodalis (comrades in magic) trying to explain and share their insights. However, lhe
wild, free-flowing thoughts and experiences of the Merinita magi are very hard to relate
to th05e who have had less experience with faeries. Many in House Bonisagus now
believe it is useless to IJy and quantify or organize the nature of the elusivc fay.
There was at least one succes.sful result of these discui;­
sions, however. House Bonlsagus commissioned House Mercerc to
gather as much information on the differing types of faeries as
possible. Annulus Cum Johanne, a redcap, travelled across the
known world, from covenant to covenant, encompassing the entire
Order, talking to the magi of I-louse Merinita about the peculiaritiC!S
and the similarities of their el(periences with the fay. The following
is drawn from her work, Nurni11um Dux, a manuscript of enormous
import to magi.
"The dlfferenl type!s of facrit.'S listed in this work are
merely descriptions of the different types of faeries as they have been bren classified for
the Order of Hermes. Each faerie is unique and by no means can you differentiate the ray
into separale species. Evefl the most dogmatic magus would not suggest that every
faerie will fall into one of these categories, and it must be understood that one particular
faerie may combine elements of two or thret? different classifications. The system which
is employed below is merely one atte111pt to have some general means to categorile the
enigmatic faeries, so as to gain some broad appreciation of the spectrum of powers and
appearances wh!ch they cover.
''The faeries themselves certainly don't think of themselves as being a particular
type of faerie, though it is thought that they have a certain ranking S}'!llcm among them,
perhaps based loosely on a combination of their noble status and their Faerie Aura rating.
Certainly the weaker faeries tend to be deferential towards the nobility of their kind.
I have gathered this informatlon in many different lands and from many
''

diffcreot sources. While r was originally charged to speak mainly with magi of f-louse
Merill.it.a, other magi have al!iO ba11 very useful to my research, and most surprisingly,
the custod� of each covenant. After sifting through much of their sometimes overly
dramatic reports, one can see some very interesting ideas about faeries and their ilk. Just

•• FAl!Rtl!S1 A Complete Handbooli of the Seelle

as one rarely calb our faithful friends Hcustodk" rather Unseelie Court can beclassified as evil is enough
than grogs, the common names for these creatures are evidence to conclude that the often mo1e obviously
somc:timff more useful than those designaled by a beautit'ul faeries of lhe Seelie Court must be "good" in a
magus." human conteJtt. 'Ibis kind of mistake can be fatal when
The following chapter lists the name most
dealing with faerlt's. The two courts are primarily a part
commonly used by magi first. If the grogs use a differ· of this changeable world and the faeries who live in
ent name, it is separated from the common name with a contact with it.
hyphen. U the Lalin rnune used by Annulus is not the Those Daoine Sid.he and oth@r faeries who live
common name, it follows the common name in paren· in the less changeable realm of Arcadia do not concern
theses. themaelves with polar opposites like the Seclie and
(Ed{tor's Note: CumpleU statistics lll"t' gltEn only for Unseelie Courts. Even in the mortal world, most Nu­
wrnt of the more important or bimmof4t'rit.S. We'� dune this mina Mani and Numlna Demh'irum care not a whit for
in mi efferl to promote the roleplaying 1U1d not tht wargaming the two courts or what the Sidhc wish done. In general,
aspect of roleplaying gmnes.) the High Faeries like the Sidhe are the ones most con­
cerned with the two courts. The High Faeries of both the
Seelie and Unseelic Courts depend strongly on mortal
The Seelie and help. High Faeries are often masters of Glamour.
However, they pay for their power over the unseen and
Unseelie Courts the unreal; reallly is very difficult for tht>m. Those few
mortals who have witnessed faerie battles or competi­
tions report that the killed or defeated. faeries simply rise
As mentioned previously, there are two faerie up at the finish as though nothing had happened.
''courts,'' the Seelie and the Unseelie Courts. In one In order to create anything singular or pe111aa­
sense, the courts are the realm of the wealthy and
nent, faeries need mortal beings. When lhe Scclie Court
aristocratic Daoine Sidhe, much as a mortal court is the
makes war, they need a human champion who can truly
realm of mortal nobles. Jn another sense, the two courts kill or ITuly be killed to fight with them- The presence of
are two alien mill£Lsets which many but not all High
mortals allows mortality and permanence into the
Faeries belong to. situation. The fighting faeries ain kill or be killed while
There are many ways of characterizing the mortals are involved. Otherwise, neither victory nor
actual differences between thl!SC two courts - they are defeat has any real meaning. The same applies to
not simply the "good and CV1l" courts. Instead, the tournaments and sporting events. Of course, the faeries
Scellc Court is peopled by faeries who aft' associated have all sorts of private events among t:Jwmselves.
with growth, change, and the beauty of a warm spring Mortals become necessary only when the gamr- is to be
d;iy. The Unscelle Court is peopled by faeries who played "for keeps.''
embody stasis, decay,and the lx-auty of an autumn day
The same rules apply to the UnOC'Clie Court.
or the power of a blizzard. In one sense. the Seelie Court
While the Seclie Court's occasional need for mortals may
embodiC!l 1hc power and beauty of Spring and Summer,
be the starting point of great adventures, 1he Unseelie
while the Unseelie Court embodies the power and
Court's use of mortals is much less pleasant. Often, they
beauty of Autumn and Winter. However, both courts
are simply a reservoir of ''mortal VIS" to be drained dry.
exist all year round.
Within the morlaJ world, the Seelie Court is
It could also be said that the two courts embody
difre o�nt aesthetics than ID have di fferent moralities. In
k..�
strongest in Britain and northern France, and the most
powerful members of the Court are likely to be found
addition, both rowts are neressary to I.he world, since
thett-. Northern countries where long wtnll."I" nights and
new plants and animals cannot exist unles& old ones die
the aurora borca\is hold sway are the stronghold of the
and provide them with food and living space. Most
Unseelie Court.
humans do not take such a broad view, often with good
reason. Neither oourt 1espects humans, or their wishes
and comforts. Members of the Seelie Court may kidnap
creative humans, or invite humans to come dance until
they drop from exhaustion. The faeries of the Unseelie Numina Desertorum -
Court. however, may hunt humans for sport, as well as,
of course, occasionally kidnaping gloomy poets and
wilderness faeries
,;ngcrs of $lid songs.. While faeries of both courts should
be avoided by sensible humans, dealing with l'aeries of
Numina DesertOrum are faeries who inhabit thi.>
the Unseelie Court can often prove more grisly and
wilds of the world and rarely rome in oonlact with
lethal. To many humans, the fact that the actions of the
civlliu>d humans. If humans wish 10 contacl <1 Numen

CHAPTEQ Six: Bestiary 55

Desert6rum, they will have to seek it out in its domains Leshlye
where it is very powerful. Wilderness faeries are Leshiye typically control much of what happens
differentiated by the types of terrain in which they can in a faerie forest. Each l..t>:SAy ruler will control a section
be found. of forest country many miles in dlamett'f and all that
forest's inhabil.antsare !lllbject to it. Within its domain, a
Silvestrla Ni1mlna - forest faeries Leshy has absolute conirol over the weather and the
actions of normal animals. In their true shape, all
The faeries of the coniferous forests 1eocnble the Lcshiye have one horn, one eye, cloven hooves, huge
forest's inhabltant5. both plant and animal. Silvestria hairy bod'1es, and may 1cscmbk bean, wild boar. stags,
Numlna tend to be either da.rk hairy creatures of im· or wild goats-but they will always have some human
mense strength or quick bright apparitions, hen! and features. 1liey tend to be quite rustic in pcnonality, and
then gone in an instant. The ray of the woods are often disdain all the ao:outTements of dvilluition and luxury.
the most seemingly primitive of faeries to the mortal Experienced traveler5 can usually tell when they
eye; they are often naked ordre!JSecl in simple, ancient
cross from one Leshy's fore9t to another by changes in
clothe5, without obvious tools, skills or dwellings. Many the te11aln, character and creatures of the forest. All
have animal characteristics or Me wholly animal in these vary according to the personality and lntere5ts or
appearance. Mortals who deal with a Silvestris Nwnen the ruling Leshy. Leshiye are masters oI disguise and
would do well to remember that these faeries are lords are able to appear in any fonn of any stz.e, from a
of the forest and all the trapping5 of civilization are toys songbird tc a mountain. (For game purposes, assume
in their hands. mastery of all Auram and Animill spells at level 35,
although Leshiye are reluctant to cast Muto or Perdo
spells on their animals.) Their only llmltatlon is that
Lcshlye may grow no IMger than tAe largest thing and
no smalleo that the smallest thing Jn their domain, nor
Havi Lesky may they assume a form that has never been within their
forest. They travel ln whirlwinds and often visit each
Foerit Might 30
other to gamble, drink, tell stories, and squabble over
Siu -5 to+4 boundaries. Leshiye wear linen caftans and may or may
Ptr-1 not be lricndly to mortal&. Their dwellIn� have never
Honest +1 b •1 found and may simply be the open forest Itself.

Ki11d to 41timtils +J Faerie Might: 30

Kick 1st +8 Att +9 Dam +25 Abilities:
Fl't 11/11 Dtf +J S<.lk +JS• Control Animals
-Inm Wdll'J'OrtS do +2 danwge Communicate With Animals & Plants
Body levtls OK, -1, ·3, -S, in£irpadlated Shapt'dwlge to AniaW
Immu11t to Aumm spdls wt in thdr domain Also see spells abovP.
111111 am 1111t0111(lfkA/ly dispel any Anim41 spdl CllSf
on their 1o111inuzls. Satyrl
Hllvi Lt:sky is 11 Ltshy and lim in 11 'ection of11
rocky spnn;tpi� forest. He is "" inveterate pmbier Satyr! have the upper body of a man and the
and hlls ra:mt/y Iosl his entire squirrel population in lower body of a goat or horse and can be quite large.
ll txJktr game to Zu1111 Let;ky, his neighbor to the ea.'Jt.
Small horns protrude from the fort.•heads aind their dark
This spry fturic keeps Isis hargWns arid wit tlsc skin is rovered in 9hort. bristly hair. Satyrl originated in
squirrels ptl(ldng In what came lo be known among ancient Greece and are especially common throughout
mort.Us as the gtUI squirrtl migftltion. He now the Balkan penin9ula, but they can be found throughout
spends most of his time moping to lhe ll«Ompl.ni­ the faerie realm. They are given to partying and merry­
rnent of high-velocity winds and cllngins ground fog. making, caring for little else. There Elrt? only male Satyri
so they take mortal and faerie females as sexual part·
The silU11tion has btcmnc so serious for the local
ners. Unfortunately, they arc known for taking that
morlllls tfwt lhcy hsiveASked the mizgi to find �the
demon of theUIOOdu 11nd coli'llince him of Ille value of which is not freely given. A Satyrus is very resistant to
aUm trighb ind squirrel slew. HllVi Usky is Nippy many types of magic (any spell of Level 30 or lower),
to be corwl111;ed, rm tM condition tfwt the rnwbils
and cannot be magically cha111<ed or controlled by
hap him gel his sq11imls back from Zvna. mortals in any way.

56 PAERIU: A Complete Handboo.11 of the SeeUe

CHAPTER Stx: Bestiary 57
 Faerie Might: 26 cloud or a rainbow.
Abilities: All Alven can become invisible at will, a state
they usually prefer. Alven can rontrol winds (all Auram
Create Enchanting Music
spells up lo level 20 at will) and can be sce11 (If t�ey �I�
CN= to be seen) blowing with the wind or shrunk to nny size,
riding on the surfaa? of rivers in air bubbles or on
Paunl broken egg shells. They seem quite carefree as a rule,
e:ia:ept that they greatly value small plants (usually night
Fauru are the smaller, more effeminate cousins
wort and elf-leafl and care for lheseplants devotedly.
of the Satyri and are also called si/vanl . They are usually
Anyone who harms such a plant which Is under the
small In stature, rarelyex(Wding four ft:ct in height.
protection of an Alven may be punished with sickness or
Each Faunus has highly developed � and is diffiti.llt
death. Except for these plants, however, Alven seem
to surprise. Being of a delicate and rarified nature, they
are quite retiring and avoid oonflict. They enjoy long
mostly unconcerned with the physical world and the

mortal beings who Inhabit it. You may be able to coax

quiet discussions, especially the exchange of poems and
them into speaking with Jl\(lrtals if some sort of game or
in
tales. Their cousins, the Satyri, hold them the highest
amuso•ia•t is offered, however their tastes are quite
disdain and the Fauni think thal they, in tum, are quite
strange and it will take something quite exotic to get
uncouth. The Satyri are known for hunting Fauni down
them to pay attention to a mortal at all.
as sporl when they grow exceptionally bored. Fauni
inhabit some sort of little home, usually a hole dug out Faerie Might: 31
of a hollow oak, which lhey decorate with flowers and Abilities:
bright rocks. Change Size
Cu"'
FaerieMlght: 16 CommunicilLte With Plmls (night worl and
Abilities: elf-leaO
Create Enchanting Music Also magical abilities d('SCT)bed above
CN=
Dames Vertes - 11reen ladies
Numlna Vent! - wind faeries ll1L' Dames Vertes are more concerned wilh
humanity than lhe AIVt'll. They are beautiful women
The most ethereal and r�y $l'eJ\ of all faeries
who :;pend most of lheir time being invi:;ible and
arc the Numlna Venti. Typically, Nwnina Vent! are shy,
intangible, observing the world and its mortal lnhabi·
beautiful beings of moderate power who spend must of
tanls. Those who are in a highly emotional state of mind
thcir lime lnvi�lblc and are so ethereal !hat they drift
or those with faerie sight can sometimes make out the
along on the winds. Even a magus or a person with
ghostly ethereal fonru of the Dames Vettcs hiding In the
Second Sight will only catch but a brief glimp.ie of a
shadows of lhe world. Hauntingly beautiful, il is said
Numen Venti unless the faerie wishes to bt' 5een. Wind
that those who do catch sight of these faeries are either
fat'ries are active in both by day and night, and have
thrice blessed or will die within the fortnighL Dames
pawer over wind and the fertility of the land. They are
Vertes and similar faeries aid the land. They ride Uw
able to eidst within the Dominion most of the time, bul
winds in the spring and summer, bringing new lik to
tend to remain in or near the faerie realm.
the Earth, melting snow, and causing plants to grow
strong and wilhout sickness. A Dame Vern.- will aid
The Alven fields of grain a' readily as forests and meadows.
Despite their proximity wilh humanity, they do not
The Alven are wind faeries who aft' most active
Interact much with mortals unless humans bum forests
at night; some know themas the night �u. A physi­
or commit similar destructive acts which earn their
cal description o( them is difficult, as it is for all Wind
vengeance. These faeries mostly wander in Danish
Faeries, since they can a5Sllme any shape &lid can vary in
\ands and the Holy Roman Empire (mainly In Germany
siZe so enormously (from as small as an ant to so huge
and the Low Countries), though they can also be found
that they fill half the sky). They do have a few distin­
guishing charac� - in all fo111,1S they are very
gd
in the French Kin om and on the Isle of Brilliin.
Faeri" Mighl: 23
beautiful with vaguely human features, and the larger
they become the more insubstantial they are. A tiny Abilities:
Alven would be quite solid while one the size of a bush lllvisibWly
might be wry light, and somewhat transparenL One the Control Fertility
siz.e of half the sky would be no more opaque than a Auram spells, level 20

•• fAERIES: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

 Domlnae Albae -white ladles
The Dominae Albae are very similar to the Allia, the Wind Faerii?
Dames Vertes, but they largely concern themselves with Faerit Might; 26
mortals. When particularly moved by mortals with a
SiuO Pre+S
sll'ongor persistent spirit, they may aid them it is
rommon for them to guide lost travelers, helping Com +J Ptr+3
won.en in childbirth, foretelling the future, diverting Gorerous +S
storms, and giving poor people magical or valuable Fat+2 Def+1 Sook +3
gifts. Oominae Albae are almost always friendly and
Body l..errds nJa
helpful lo the good, but those who are rude, ungrateful,
or who try to harm them will be punished severely with Allia ill a while lady wha livts nei:r1 a small
sickness and a multitude of curses. They are roncen1ed ftmnirig trilhlge in norlhtm Frana. None of lhe vii·
mostly with the fertility of the land, including the lagers know where Allia lives. !rut they all know that
fertility of the r:ople. A Domina Alba would never ifa person araninwl i<l sick or if somrone's crop has
reveal herself fully, but rather lend aid as a ghostly faileti, Allio is sure Jo show wp to hdp. The villagers
spirit. It is quiteposalble that they ilfl' able to remain in trust Allis, reward her with gifts offood and drink,
A.readla while sending their spirit from it at will. The 11.ru/ Mid 11 fei:rst in her hollOI" � year 011 Miiy D4y.
legends say that at one time, they were the handmaidens Story: May Day is coming wp and the new
of the ancient gods and they now wander the earth in priest, whom the Church m:eritly sent, has decided
search of their long gone masters. tMre wi1l be no feast. Ht is determined lo make surr
au of /he vilhlgm spend the day in church singing
Faerie Might 26 hymM. Tht last pritst NuI similar ideM, bu/ he
vanished one Wty, never Ill be seen llgllin (lhough
Abilities: stories Ulm' lold ofan exctptionally warty tu4d Stefl
Invisibility hopping around the churchyard). The villagers liad
Prophecy no /wefor lhdr 1"1 priest, but their new 01U is
Auram spells, level 20 yowng and fr*ntJ.ly. They ivesure thi:y can 111/k him
Oil! ofmosl ofhis foolish @d mhlaktm ideas, tsp
cilllly with the aid of11 litl/e "brew." Therefatr, they
Numina Aqu&rum - water faeries him fo iain in the festivities on May Day. All their
pltwdings have IWI �d his Wilvittlon that May
Without waler, mortals cannot survive, but Day is a pagan holiday and thill all good peopl�
water can also be very deadly. Mortals who make the should be in chun:h on suclt unholy Jays. Ma.� are
most use of the world's waters must also sacrifice the approached by the villagers /IS educated people who
most lost sailors. drowned fishafolk, and destroyed
-
might be 1111/e to tlllk lht pries I into ldfing thefeast
houses by t� shore are the price mortals pay for their go on ll9 planned by using "highfalutin words he'll
heavily laden. IT"ading ships and great harvests of fish. resptd. Neile: lheprie.sl dDeS not realiu Alli.a is 11
0

Water-dwelling faeries are seldom neutral in fllerie, lhinkfng cinly that she is 111002/ herb woman cif
thcir attitudes toward mortals. Some of them are among whom his congregation ciften spctJh. OWi.ously, he
the most beautiful and helpful of faeri�, while others has � met this DomiNI Alba. The villagers are
arc the most hideous and dead1y. Numina Aqu<'irum are planning 011 brea/dng lht truth lo him vtry, very
not gt:11t1ally capricious or lni:onsisrent in their behav­ sluw/y ,

ior, but their rules do not always work to mortal benefit.

The most malicious Numina Aqu;irum are ravening caps or talismans which allow the wearer to breathe
monsters, but mortals must be wary of a trait �n the freely beneath the water or dive from the surface to the
kindest of them show like the water, they often draw
-
sea-noor kingdom of the faedes in an instant. Some
their favorites down beneath the waves. faeries may lend to mortal5 the magical device:;; they
Sailors, too, are seldom Jndiffurent to the watery themselves use to survlve berleath the sea. Whatever
realm. Stories about Water-dwelling faffies are abundant their habits under the water, most Numina AquMum
in nobles castles, fishing ports, and any tavern where sea seem able lo breathe air and to speak white above the
folk might meet. 11 is often said that the less monlltrous surfat"e. Some cannot survive on dry land, while many
leeries keep great castles, dties, or whole underwater others have been spotted sunning themselves on rocks
kingdoms built of seaweed and shell. Some say the and mooring boats. or even playing chess in fisltermen's
faeries breath<' air like mortals and live in vasl air-filled houses. It seu11S certain that none can survive long at
underwale" caves. Others are sure � faeries breathe any great distance from the water, even If they can move
water like fish. Legends are told and retold of magical about happily on land.

••
 The magical power.; of Numina Aqwtrum are
extremely wide-ranging. Some seem to possess no Joe Andre
m11gk al all while others have magical obj«"- but cast
no spells. Many ocean-going faeries are mai;ters of
Fiurit Mighl: 20
Auram and Aquam spells, while fn!Sh·wah?f faerie!> Siu +1 srm+4
often specialize i n changing their shapes. A much-­ Qik+2
debated potnt is the relationship between water-faeries Shy+3
and horsa. Many mortal� are rertain that horses came
originally fTom the ocean and many water-faeries take
Dour+3
horse-like fom'ls. Seelie water-horses are usually pale­ Human knife 1sl +4 Att +5 0!117'1 +3
white, silver, greenish, or bluish, while Unseelie ones are Fat +4 Def +4 Soak +s•
dark·g•ec'' or blade Whether these beasts are faeries Body /evds: OK. O}O, -1, -3, -5
themselves;, the creations of faerie magic, or faerie
•+J damage /mm iron weapons
animals is unknown to all.
foe Andl't" is /he rra1ne give11 to a myslffl""5
l«Dl nsident l1y lhe people of Vf!rd1!111me, a. vr11age
Numlna Marlum - Sea Faeries on the rocky mut ofBrittany. The cold waters off
Venlemmt teem with life, but fishing is very
faeries who live in salt water are almost exclu­
siwly meriolk - faeries whose fonn rombines. human
difficM/t becaust of the trou:herous shlJre and
frtquenl llfld UHJQther. Erery 5"Jurday is rnQricel
fl>atures with those of an ocean-going animal. Usually
the animal features are those of fish, but sea folk with
dill{ in the vU/age, and on 1114rkd dayfor the last
two yem-s, foc Andre has appeared al daw11 to sell
seal or dolphin attributes are common ln some places. It
his catch. He is 11 huge, long-bodied, soft spoken,
ls pcssible that places with strange !lCllgoing creatures
like walruses or manatees may have a Numen Marium
dour man wilh a 5f.lllskin cape arul a strange
with a1tribul1!§ of one of those creatures as well.
accmt. His strength is obvious; unlike the other
villagm wilh their handcarts, foe Andrearriws
with his fi$h slung over one shoulder in 11 huge ttl
Membranae SubdJd - 5bln-chan9ers skin bag. He4lWflYS hAs the lt.irgest catch offish in
!own, reganl/0& oflww terrible the WCl!t!s wea.Jlier
These faeries have a human form, which iS
has ht.en. He hirltT5 his ca1ch fur chickens, piglets,
lambs, dm¢1! jlJf'S tm.d melal tools. 11nd lta.r.ies llS
apparently their true form While in human fonn,
Membranae Subditi can neither breathe water nor swim
soon as his business is 401tt. The strange thing
any better than a human being. Each faerie possesses
lheenchanted skin (or a gannent or ornament made
a�t Andre is Iha.I he is not a resident of the
from the skin) of an ocean-going creature. When the
vilhlge. No one knows where his house is, he does
skin is put on, the faerie changes shape, taking on the
not come to the /Uf:a/ church on Sunday, and none
shape of that creature along with its abilities. Unlike
ofthe neighboring villages claim him as a resident.
He is olnrious/y o foreigner, wilh his accent and
lll051 faeries, Membranae Subditl are dependcntupcn
lhc enchanted skin to change shape. If the skin is losl or
stran,vways, bu/ nobody know.; from wheru:t Ire
stolen, the M'--mbrana Subd.itus is trapped In human
OV11e. foc Arulre Juu aroused a lot o{Cllriosity, and
fonn. Most sldn<hangers take the £01111 of wann·
PJOI a Iiilie ;mlousy, t1mong /he vi/fagm, but ht
blooded creatures, usually seals, but fish skins are not
always gim a tioy high pricefor his simple
purduises, anJ so they are willing lo I� and let
unknown.
five.
McmbranaeSubditi are generally shy, quiet
foe Aruin U roJllyt1 Membrana S11bditus, a
faeries. They live near shorelines and so11"'times can be
seen basking on the shore or watching humans from a
skin-cha.nging fMrie wiJh theform of a lftJPdrd
safe distance. Usually they avoid contact with mortals,
sm/. He bar/ers with the mortals far lhe goods he
probably for fear of losing their skins, but in some places
cannot make for hi.s family. 1{followed, he will
mortals and Membra.nae Subditi coop<!rate, fishing attempt to lo� his pur.iuer among the rock$, /hen
l!'ap from .II hig/i bo11/der inla the sea.
1ogether and helping each other in crisis situations.
These faerl?" know very little of fire-making. pottery,
metalworking or other of the land-dweller&' arts. They whether this Is a magical btnding. aldn to being bound
also 9C.°"111 to lack faerie magical arts like making en· by iron, or Simply a response to their fear of having 1he
chanled objt"ct$� they have no power to creote new skin destroyed.
skins lo replace those lost or stolen. Membra.naeSubditi Membranae Subditi spe11d most of thclr lime i n
are not �bjugated by iron, but remain under the control their aquatic form. In human fonn, theyare so similar to
of any mortal who can steal their skin. It is not ce1tain mortals that some have speculated lhat they are a miJi;ed
bttO,O or the descendants of humans carried ber.eath the

PAeu111s: A Complete Handbook of the Seelle

sea by faeries. Others believe just the opposite; lt is
thought that their enchanted skins were ont'e their own. Coomara
Just as a snake outgrows its old skin, so might some sea
creatures. After a certain length of dme, a faerie sea·
Fiatrit Might:
30
animal loses ll$ skin and takes on human form.. but it Siu +1 Str+2
\c.ceps the skin soil can still employ its old form as well. "" -3
GrqariOllS +2
Faerie Might: 15 Bniwling. 1st +4 Atk +4 Dam +6 (/wtlW/ing
Abilities: -
Shap«hmge to Animal (see limitations ilbove) fqt +3 Def +4 5ollk +7
Bady lroels OK, 0/0, -1. .3, -5, tnraparitatcd
-

Siren's merfolll Coon!Q:ro is o. -pc1U>Oful marow who lhles offlhc

so11thtm COllSt of Ireland, Ht spends mwch of his
These oceanic faeries come in a wider variety of timt SQ/voging goods from sunken !lhips, and is
shapes and habits than the Membranae Subditi. A
indinaf to befrlenAly to 1111y rttortal i11 the same IW
ma)orlty of them have the traditional shape associated
ofwork. Like the rest ofh(t, raa, Coomar11 Ni!; green
with mer-people - a human head and torso, and a fish,
hlllr, ,,mnted green teeth, pig's eyes, and a SCllrltl
seal, or whale tai.J, They tend to be either extremely
nost. His long, ttUl-llke legs make walking very
beautiful (the Seelle) or exltcmcly ugly (usually the
difficult for him, bul do not prevent him from
unSeelie). They are often very talented with magic, able
Wt1fking or silting in chairs. He can be seen plying
to enchant items, and control the waves and weather.
his tradt by 11nyol14 who trequent5 the treacherous
Most have a distaste for Iron, but some are as indifferent
shoals 11nd sandbars he/af!OTS, but he only comes on
to It as mortals.
!And 11t night or In bid weather. He is /l. solifllry
Sln:nis live In the open ot'ean, usually far from Janie, but may "1tk oul mtlrMI '"'"J"l"Y• with lhc
the shol't'llne, though they can occasionally be found uaption of crowds, priests, married couples, dogs
sunning thern!!elves on coastal l'CK'ks. Some sirenis, 5uch and children, 1// of which ht considers Q1i!'WY'lncts·
as the famous siren or tht" Lorelei Rock on the Rhine He has been known to Cll"Y an ext1J1 red travelling
River, have even been found. in freshwater riven; and cap in order to bring morlal fr*nd& Jown to vlsll his
streams. (This ill a pe1lect example of how any dass6ca· 11nderwatu h"'71t. lt is rruide mostly of pieces of
tion system devised by us to categorize the faeries will shipwndcs,11nd boosts lhtfinesl brandy, �lrong!l!il
fail at one level or another.) mahoganyfurnishings, and the btst wl/ectio11 of
Sirenis have the power to entrance mortals. se:rzmen's glwsls in tMarei:i. A good morlal, says
Some do this by gaze, some by singing sweetly, and Coo1rw1,11 hllles dogs iaml ch11dma, likes good liq110r, 11
some by playing sweet music. Most rommon1yuse good hlutd of(JlrrJ6,anJ good conM'5aiion. and
these abilities to lure sailors Into the depths. Some say knoo.>s hbw lo apprtd4te 1 fine cvller:tion ofghosts.
the merfolk do this h0111 love-sickness; others say that
they eat humans; .still others claim that they steal souls
so that their own spirit will be made n-.01e powerful. All hair, pointed grco1 teeth, pig's eyes, and a round scarlet
three explanations may be true, Cor the sirenis vary nose. Unlike merfolk, they are as sociable as mortals.
widely In character. They have been known to rescue Many are Powerful mages in lhe Hermetic or non·
shipwrecked sailors and steer boats onto rocks. Each Hermetic traditions, specializing in spells of wind
siren usually lives a solitary existence, but sometimes (Auram) and water {Aquam). Merrows maintain a
small groups of them can be found. curious relationship with mortals. Many have become
friendly with mortal11 sharing work and goods. or
Faerie Might: 25
merely socializing.
Abilities1
Merrows are fascinated. by mortal games of skill
Aquam spells, level 15
and chance, riddles and wtlrd games. They are also fond
Muto Awam, level 15 of wine. Some say men-ows are the males and sirenls
Enchant Objects (mermaids) are the females of the same kind of faerie.
This idea may have a kernel of ITUth, but tail-less faerie
women and fish-tailed faerie men both make their way
Merrow.1 into legends.
These sea faeries have a more human shape with lbese sociable sea faeries live in dry caverns at
fish-like attributes. There Is webbingbetween their the bottom of the ocean from which they magically keep
lingers and their feet look like a ducks, most having a the waters at bay. All can breathe both water and air.
sheen of thln scales for skin. They genera.Uy have gieut Mortal visltors of the me.rrow can reach their underwa-

CJIAltlU SDC: Bestiary 61

tcr kingdoms by means of donning magical red caps,
often covered wlth feathers. They report the merrow's The Skaed Woman
underwater world is very like the world above, with
FaerieMight: 1 8
houses built of shells, domesticated animals, and fish
swimming in water-filled pens. At the same time, Size·2 Com+-1 Per+S
mc11ows tend to see mortal disastom:i like lost netsand Shy +2
shipwrecks as financial windfalls. They have Deel Touch 1st +4 All +3 Cspei;WIJ
accuSt'd of caumig such events to further their own ends
r111 0 Def+J SoaJ: O•
or to satisfy their curiosity. Persistent rumors stale that
the merrow keep the souls of drowned mortals in a kind "Iron weapons do dor.1ble damage
of magical lobster-pot as conversation pieces, and that Body l...eoe1s:. 0. ·1, -3, -5, 111£1lPOCifated
they are not above eating human flesh. TM Sbed Wormm 0111 paral�e by louch. and
FM!ri� Might 20 the piirf of 11 person's body she louches will k
Abilities: paralyud until the 11ext full moon unless cural by fl­
magus ur priesI (PeCo 3V),
Au-ram sp:!lls, level 20
Tht Slawl Wom11n is an Asrai who dwe//5 in 1111
Aquam spells, level 20
ancient stone well in southeastern Eng/arui. The
Sktld Woman is human in shape, lar�. with
Numlna Pasctn6rum - pond faeries Wiiier weeds for hair, al!d can only flt seen by
moonlight. SIU! has the power ofprophecy. For
This type of faerie lives only in clear and fresh
bodies of water, usually in beautiful and peaceful generations, s/fl! has risen lo the surface of the well Oil
moOlllil nights, spontaneously or in respo11Se to lhe
settings. They only live within the bounds of the Faerie
Aura. Even if their pool is suJTOundcd by Dominion, it gi/I of o piece of ri/uer thrown into the well. She will
11nswtr <'nt' t(llestion from. aich suppliaint. and drip
may still have a Facrlt' Aura. Waler is naturally magical
bad inJo /he depths ajler five questions � ban
and tmds to resist being madt' more mundane.
afl5Wertd. rising again 011 the next moon/ii mighl.
Story: In recml ytsm, a small stone church has
Asral bun constructed liea"r the Skaed Woman's well. The
These faeries live in quiet, usually small, clear prlesls 1'0"W choose each maht's supplicant from the
bodies of fresh water, usually calm pools -and they crowd,and uversa the enlire process. This is
cannot leave it under any circumstance. Nonnally, only supposd to prrvrnt impious happenings 11nd lo
one lives in each pool, though sma.11 families,. or even protft::t the Sbed Woman from heckle� arul thims.
kingdoms of these diminutive faeries {in large lakes) are II p1ooi4ts the chwrdi with 1111 income from lhe
known. 1hey aJY generally human ln shape, large-eyed, offen·ngs ofguilt-riddtn supp/i01nts (after all, it is
transparent, and can only be seen by moonlight . Usu· not UAClly kosher) lhowgh the Skaed Won1ari still
ally they cannot speak. However Asrai vary widt"ly pruph«ies spontaneously and for anyone with a piece
from pool to pool and no two are ever tht- same. Often ofsilver. 11 is rwnoral that lhewelf coRtairt.S 111110/d
they are ext1..11oely magical, though they may not alw,;iys woalth in silvaimd that the Shu!4 Woman will
"cast spells." Pool faeries ilfE' conslde?l't'd to be assoc!· ttlllf"'•life i/ removed from the well or apostd to the
alcd With the Seelie Court. The lady of the Lake from sun. Nevertheless, thefi has nroer been a problem.
the legends of King Arthur is .11n Asral. Either the church is doing a very good job, or no oHe
Faerie Might: 18 fuls too sure about whal other powers lht SkAtd
Woman mighl have. A viol of waterfrom lht well
amlains l point of Vim vis, bwl the Wflln- will crawl
Numlna Obscurl - dark water faeries oul of11rry container arul l«k ID the Wl'll ovemight
These faeries Inhabit fjords, lochs, and certain unlas the Skaed Woman is offered 11 pkct of S11ver
mountain pools. The water they inhabit always has one and asked permission lo talc� the Wtlfer.
o( two charll�rlsttcs: it is either black and impossibl;:! to
see through (and often thick with lake? weeds) or cle.ar
and beautiful, but entirely without life? - no fish,
Kelples
shellfish, birds, or even bugs. These faeries a:re always Kelpies are one of the most tommon lypes of
malevolent. The best of them.spend their time playing dark waler faerie. They live beneath the surface of
cruel pranks on mortals and their livestock, and the stagnanl pools and dark, often lifeless lakes. Kelpics are
worst are living nightmares. truly Unseelie fn their habits, ranging from mischievous
to truly malevolent, but since they are so\1\ary faeries,
they cannot be considered part of the Unscclle Court

•• fAERJES: A Complete Handbook of the Seelle

 Maekinee the Neck
Fune Might: I7
Ponyform:
Siu +J Pre +J Int-1
Imp1dsit1t: +5

Block horslt form:

Siu -tJ Qik +5
Int-1 Stm +7
HOIJth'S 1s/+8 Alk+7 Dam +14
Fot n/o Def+6 Sook +12
Body l.eDt/s: OK, O/Q, -1/-1, -3/-3, -5, Jncap.
Matkinee is an Irish Kt/pk with a. 501$tof
humor who is able to use three forms. The first is a
shaggy bt'OWn upltlnd pony with lt1rge. soft eyes, long
tytlt1Shes, o big belly, andwft woolly fur. He is hope­
lessly CL!le tmd will perform llSSorted circ11s-por1y
Irich for carrot5, apples, or pal5 on his 'Delvety nose.
The circus tricts always end with his pa.rticultlr
favorite, the kneel-a.nd-beg-for-o-rider-/rick. ShowId
some poor mortal get on his back, M will immediately
transform into a huge block horse with scar/el eyes,
snort live steam. anJ run offot the speed of o modern
express tnzin. The rider(s) w111 be gllltd to
Moekinee's back as if by o power/Ill adhesive, and will
hove to tUJ their clothes (or roll stress dit + Str of
12+) to get fru beforea.tlempting Jo escapt.
What happtns next depends on whelher Mae/d­
The true forms of Kelpies are unknown; some say Ihey l'll!e is hungry. Matkinee eats people after dmwning

are half-horse or half-fish while others claim that their them thoroughly in the neara;/ body ofwaler. H<7W­
true forms are humanoid but more loathsome than the tver, he is only hungry lull/ the time. He lends to like
Te!Ticula Aquae. clever pevpfe, espeda/Iy those who i1npress him with
their eloquence, and will lake them back to his ham�
All Kelpies can leave the water and travel
overland, and do so in the shape of a horse or a pony, under lhe watrr so they can entertain him until he
The l<elpie's usual strategy is to try to lure unsuspecting tires of them. His home is a owe wilh brt.11/hoblt nir.
humans onto its back. Once mounted, they are in the If thecnptive is clever enough, they mayfind s0111e
Kelpie's power. Le55 malevolent Kclpies will merely WllY to trick Ma.clinee into letting them g(1.
embarrass or terrify the hapless rider, while the worst
kind.9 will run off the edges of cliffs or drag the rider into J<elpies have no power over those who refuse to ride
the water to drown. The nature of the Kelples' powers them; treat their power over mounted riders as equiva­
varies. Some are said to be able to hypnoll:z:e a potential lent to a 20-point spell of the appropriate type. KeIpies
rider with their gaze, while others rely on tricks or an always appear without saddle, bridle, bit, or shoes, and
appealing appearance. Some Kelptes, when mounted, will resist any attempt by mortals who provide them.
simply run 90 swiftly that jumping off means risking Some are vulnerable to iron, and all are espei.;ally
death, while others can paralyze their riders' wills or vulnerable to religious power. All spells or spell-like
limbs so thal escape is impossible. abilities used by a Kelpie will immediately fail, some­
Every Kelpie has ii fiierie mark, an uncanny times In a spectacular fashlon, if holy words or the name
feature that cannot be disgulsed, and, ifspotted, can of God ts spoken at close range.
identify the Ke\pie to a potential rider. Typical Kclpie Kelpies a.re also known as shellycoals. necks,
marks are green manes, unusual eyes, a dank, wet smell, neckers, and water-horse5.
shells or lake weed tangled in the <."Oilt or mane, canine Faerie Might 17
teeth, hoof prints that fill with water, or a back which Abilities:
lengthens to accommodate each additional rider. Shapechang' to Animal

CHAPTER Stx: Bestiary 63

 Tetricula Aquae- •atet boqtes
These malevolent faeries live in bodies of fresh ]emr.y Greenteeth, the Water Bogie
watt'r, are solitary, and are usually bound to their FaerieMight: JI
particular body of water. They often cannot leave the
water, and those who can are unable lo go far from it. Siu+2 Per +l
Few are entirely human in shape, and some are so Int -3 Qik-1
monstrous tl'K>y show little sign of being able to think or Greedy +2
conununicate. While these are more beast than faerie,
Claws 1st +5 AtA: +7 Dam +15
others are clear-thinking beings, but still quite malevo­
lent and distorted. Unlike Kelpies, which can be mit­ Fat n/a Def+5 Soak+J4•
chievous, Terricula Aquae are overtly lethal. Some are •+2 tbmulgefrom iron
vulnerable lo iron but many are not, and they do not Body Leuds.: OK, 0/0. -1/-1, -3, -5, l11rnpacitafed
share the Kelpies' vulnerability to religion. They art' This wakr bogie lives in 11 swamp wmewhere in
often horribly strong and an- sometimes innately IM British Isles. No one S«1nS lo be cerliUn elClldly
magical, but few ever cast spells. Their major limitations wkere she lives, for seutrtJ./ cummunilies claim her
tend lo be dependence on water and their often limited resldetsce is in their/� 1narsh (it is possible that she
lnlelligcnce. Grendel {and his mother) was a Tenio:ulum has Stl7e"'1 sisters). She 13 gigantic in size, close lo
Aquae.
Im feet lall, with iron fingernails, Ieng, stringy hiiir,
and grmt pointed green lttlh like Ike piWts in a
Faerie Mighl: 31 frnce. Sht likes to lie in wait in 4«per wri:ters, with
only her lung ha.ir sh!JWing al the surface, like 11n
unusual nial ofpond wud. Most activt after d11rk,
Numlna Fluvll Lacuumquae - river and lake she c.an strike al any lime. She usually ronfine; her
faeries allacb to w1ip1ottcttd individull!s who hatJt" Wlm­
These fcrerle5 live in large bodies of fre5h waler. dmJ AWJ1Y from their h� ur cvmpmions. Sire is
They are significant features of the human landscape, fond ofshiny objects and will sometima use !hem
just like the river.1 and Wees in which they live. Like likefi$hermen's tum, tied inlo Mr hair or sd out on
oceanic faeries, they of1en have elaborate homes on the a rod:.. Most soun:a 118'� that she eats htr morlrll
bottom., beneath the surface. These houses, pala�, or vicllms, usually, if is S(.lid. hood first. She is espt:­
lowns may be in dry areas underneath the water, or may d4/ly fond ofchildft!n.
themselves be water-filled. Numina Ftuvii are seldom as
hostile or as honible as the dark water faeries.. They arc according to the land in which they live, but for the most
water faeries, however, and water fames like to take part they they are content to be the river itself - they
mortals down beneath the waves. Such mortals may be can compose ma.Tiy different shapes, but usually they are
slaves or favorites of the faeries, or they may simply simply the water. Local people who understand the
drown. Those who survive do !IO because they are given power of their river will propitiate the river god before
sJX'dal philters or oinl11a11s which allow them to trnveling aaoss their domain. Sacrifices of wine,
brealhe waler, set"dl:'Brly underwo11.tcr, and move and Oowen, livestock, OT ritual objects in the shape ol human
speak freely underwater. The effects may be temporary beings. animals, boats, or earls are offered, to the great
or pe111a 1 nent. River and lake faeriC$ are notorious dismay of loc.al priests. For some, the offt'rings are
$hapc shifters, taking on not only 1he forms of animals, barge.ins made for the faerie's assistance on the journey.
but of plants and even inanimate objects. For othen1, lhese great faeries have godlike power, and It
Certain ctvllizal, social faeries dwell beneath never hurts to be in the good graces of a god. Besides,
some lakes and rivers, kccpi1g 1 ca.sues, stables, and the river spirit who has b<:u1 fed a fatted calf may not be
grounds, and riding out lo hawk and hunt in the world hungry for hufl'llln beings. River "gods" may be loved
above. These arc not truly wilderness faeries, but or feared, but they are not lightly trifled with.
members of the Scelle Court who hold audience beneath The Animi F1uvvi6rumare concerned primarily
the waves. Some ancienl stories tell of portals to Arcadia with their river, which they have trouble separating
found underwater. which may provide an explanation fmm their own identity. Though these faeries do not
from whence the dryland found beneath some faerie often bother to reveal themselves to mortals. when they
lakes and shorelines comes. do, lh(oir powers arc tilanic - it is possible for tN-m to
nood a dty if they fet"l themselves wronged.

Anlmtus Plu"Vll - rl"Ver god Fishing countries like Ireland and Portugal often
see an Animus Ftuvii t.ake the form of a talking fish or
These po�! faeries live alone, one in each other aquatic creature, huge and hoary in appearance.
ma;>r river (that is still magical). Their fonns vary In pastoral lands like Greece, Italy, and Spain, they often

64 fAl!Rles: A Complete Handboo� of the See:Ue

give themselves bull-like features. This is also lnle In Numlna Terrae earth iaerles
pastoral parts of England. The lands of southet11 Franre
have Animi Fluvvi6rum which appear wilh the attrib­ Tiie:ie faeries may live nearmortlll!i or far from
utes of bulb or hor.;es. ln the deep forests of eastern any sign of human life. Most live beneath the earth or Jn
Europe, they may have horse OI' human fea1ures. or caves, but some shelter in !hr rocky side5 of mountains
appear In even stranger shapes. or in houses built of stone. Unlike some Numina
Desert6rum, most Numina Terrae tolerate hwnan
presence. Uke the enduring rock, they shmg off hwnan
Fauie Might: 40 changes; they will outlast mortal frivolities. Earth
Abilities: faeries have a strong and universal sense ofjustice,
Shapechange to Animal however. While they may nol care about human
fashions -what rolors wom, what customs followed,
Invisibility
what tools used - they are keenly sensitive to the
Aquam spells al Level 40.
diffenmoes bclWU'fl rich and poor or kind and unkind
mortals. In many stories, Numina Teme show them­
selves lo help the needy, selfless or despe1ate mortals, or
to punish the callous, the miserly and the cruel.
AscMlous
F.arth faeries lend to be human-like in shape, bul
Faerie Might: 43 they never appear fully human. They are usually either
Size +3 Com ·2 ronsid<'rably larger or smaller lhan human beings, with
lmpatiml +3 heavy, oddly-proportioned bodtes. All have faerie
Hot Haul.ttl +2 marks, usually animal feet, hands, eyes, or tails. Many
are dark-skinned and hairy, but some arc> very pale.
Homs Ist +8 Atk -t-8 Dam +20
None are troubled by iron, but many have 90me form of
flfln/a DefO Scrlk-t-20 vulnerability to daylighl All have the power lo create
Body lmels: OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3/-3. -5, Jncap, wealth in one form or another. By and large, Numina
Aschdo1o15 i5 �faoU lwd of /he Gfftt river of Terrae are exbe1t\E'ly powerful within their own areas of
the SIZmt' name. Thefomrs he assumes from lhe waler influence, but only moderately powerful In genenil
most often are lhose ofo bJJu:Jc bu.II vra bull-horned ways. They are sedate but not dour. They are slow to
man. The blik:k bull loob much like an aurochs, the anger. but have lncrOOible tenacity once they have
grmt Europtan wild Im/I with a dark body, huge decided on a rourse of action, and their memories nC'Vef
Nin.dlebti.r lwrns, "'"' a short pale mllne 11long the fade. Earth faeries are lhe earth's children, the original
�l111f. Emy :rpring. IM bull llPI""'" amlgraus in keepers of the world's history and workers of lhc- earth's
fttm1s 11nd oineyards Iha/ are alongside lhe rirer al gifts of rock, day, metal and crystal.
riighl. Th!1!H:who chase or annoy him suffer blighted
crops whilt lh� who allflUJ him lo grazt, wander,
TroU.
an4 wrmk havoc at wr1/, 11re rewarded with utmorJi­
r111ry harvests. In his other form, he is gig11ntic. He Trolls are gigantic earth fatties, seven to fifteen
has the haul., body, 11.iul limbs of a man, bull's Jwrns feet tall. They are broad-bodied and hairless, with huge
Rnd a bwlfs lllil, rmd" bull-liU face. He is luliry !ind hand5 and feet, and great, deeply-sculpted fares. Thcoir
CO'l.lerttl in seaweed. Sometimes in this fenn, his legs skin Is pale to the point of bluish transparency. Trolls
a,e rtplactd by 11 Imig dr11gvn'5 tail. He ca11 cnst any live in caves, be-neath man-made structures, and in huge
A� or lhrill2m spell 11.t level 45 llnd suffers no stone shellers In empty places. They have a reputation
,,_/ties for sponhmeous spells. He does not suffer among mortals both for stupidity and for hostility. This
ftdigueas lonJl u he is in physii.�/ oonlRct with the reputation is largely unfoundt'd; trolls have a habit of
ver or its bintks, sina ht is able to drawfrom the
Ji moving and spe-a)dng very slowly, and of thinking
waler vis equitllltmt l to the nuigical and physical carefully before taking any kind of action. Trolls arc also
energy he expends. If he loses 1u's Mrns, he loses this incapable of understanding the !ielf-proc1aimed impor­
izbDily. The horns m worth 4 points af Vim vis tanl'e of human beings. However, they value th�r
f!!lh,lC and ciin pllrify 11"11)' liif111d with which they conie homes very highly and will never leave once they have
in cont11et. Aschiilaus "'" understand the //.lnguRgS settled down. Humans asking a troll lo move from its
of morMlsbut Mly with difficulty, ttnd he can only ancient home to make way for a new field Is rather like a
speak through the mergi11g ofthe nallmi/ SIJllnds of group of rabbits asking humans not to build a house
lhc river. His voice is tluts a roar almfJl'I loo loud and over their warren. If the disgruntled rabbits begin
distorted. lo !if' understood, and he woul1l ralhff/JCI invading the house and biting the inhabitants, rabbit­
lllan lalk ""''YW4Y· lrapping will follow in short ordC1'.

CHAPTI:ll Stx: Bestiary 65

 Tl\OLL fu Troflj of Po11s
A local merchanl with a11 intuest in myslicism
has bttn walching four trolls play troll-bridge under
an old Roman bridge for several ymrs. Recently, 011r
troll has bem missing. The merchanl has pasled a
notice offering induumenls lo anyone wlw is willing
to rqilace the fourth troll, lo engage lhe trails in play
or convmation until sur1rise, stenl the deck of cards,
and bring them to hirn. The trolls arc also about,
looking for a fourth ptlrtner.
If the characters decide to keqi the trolls 11p 11ntiJ
su11rise, /hey h.zN .sarni Irie> (this variatian of troll·
bridge W:ts11 W«k). They mus/ cont•fntrlite un iloing
this, and luul Mter no! try lo win hands through
deceplion. /If /hey do, have them make an IIPP'QPri­
ale roll �and make it hard. Trolls are smarl. They
get Pm:tption rolls Ir.> sense illusion, likr all faeries./
The PC gr11up only gets one roll fK' night, ei:ren if
more !Mn ol'ft" person is there.
d&ide
If the cht.i111clcr5 simply lo piny, they may
gamble normally (use a normal deck uf cards to play
Bridge or ont ti{ its variants, use other playm lo
round out lhe fuulSi)me). Characters are allowed lo
sel their ow11 stakes. TM trolls bet small odd ile7nB
- !7its of rock, coal, strangely shaped fragments of
unkMW11 $11bstances.. If the characters bet il1.'171!1 of
V<I.lwc, sch pi«e I hey wi11 l11n1S the 11£XI morning
into a /ewe/, gold nugget. or arlifacl containing vis.
d
If /hey o 110/ lit/ iltm5 of value, lhrir winnings
remllin wlue/es5. If a clulracler impresses the trolls.
Trolls prefer to live quietly in their stony homes,
occasionally meeting for ponderous dances or long
di� with garnbling skill, good manner.i. or eloquent
entertainmenl (music, singing, poetry, storylelling),
games of troll-cribbage or troll-bridge. Troll-cribb<lge is
he or she will be given the deck ofcards at the close of
played on rows of small standing stones stretchin� for
the week's �me /roll needed to impress /he trolls}.
miles. Carnes last £or decades and the rules arc said to
be too complex for mortals to understand. Troll-bridge
The deck can als(J be U5ed to �fl !he fortune vfpf!tlple
or events (lre:il as if lhc character i.a..� the Visions
is only played under bridge> or dolmens (prehistoric
virtue while using card.sJ once e.ach day.
stones). The cards used are said to be the origin of the
taiot deck of fortune-telling cards.
Trolls are enormously Mrong and almost inde­
structible. Their skins are like rock and !hey have the fal'rie Mighl: 33
vinuc of Magic Resisunce. Tirey can usie any Terram Abilitil'5:
spell at level 25, with no penalty for spontaneous spells. Magic Rtsl&tance, 20
However, Trolls can use only magic which is earth·
TCTnlm spells, level 20
related, and they have one great weakness. Any direct
sunlight touching a troll will tum it to stone until the
ne;ict sundown, though in some cases they arc turned to Sprl��ans
stone fore vet'. It is difficult to tell tlll" diffl.'rencc between
Spriggans are a type of troll used as guards by
the stone troll and an ordiNry mass of rock. A Pcrdo
many kinds of faeries. In addition to the other troll
Terram :!!pell of level 30+ Qr a miracle of case factor 30
J>OWers, Spriggare can change their size at will. Usually,
perfo rmed on the stone troll can render it pe111n 1a ently 1hey arc aboul three feet tall and drag ridiculously
inert, and the body of the dead troll ls 1ransformed into
oversized clubs behind them. If they are lhrcatcned or
solid silver of great purity.
attacked, they will begin to grow, reaching their full
fifteen-foot height within 3 rounds.

.. FAERIES: A Complete Handboolil of the Seelle

 Faerie Might 28
Abilities: A1'4rew
Magic R.eslslance, 20 An4mo is o. mtdiwn-siud Dwarf. and"
Qangr Si.:r.e chongdin,I{ from lhe Ta!Mfhy Chm. He is about 600
lj«lfS old. rheum11tic, tm4 highly inilabk. His ,111n,
Tci1atn spells. level 20
tiring of him, has wsed 11 Mwto C6rpoTem sptll of
levd JO on him to make him look Ii� a hJiman baby
Dwarfs- (PumlUon&) and ltft him on !he doorstep of a cvuenant. To
Andrew's embarrassment, the spell does not caver his
Dwarfs (not dwarves) are small, stocky earth
duck fed. He will loudly refuse to be stripped for a
faeries who usually live undagiound. They are be­
blith ar have hi:; long shift pulled up for arry reASon,
tween one and thTee feet tall, dark-skinned, thickly
prolesHng sequentitz/Ty in taeh of the seventttn
haired, stocky, and powerful in appearance. They rend
larigUAgts at his commtmd.
to make their hocres in drep wilderness, and are en­
counb!ted most often by mortal hunters, sheep and pt Anyone who ntJlllligtS to n:lum him to his
herden,. and trawlers. They are very clannish by nature. MluTOl form wit/ stea tiny, incrfJJibly wrinkltd old
but do not shun chance encounters with human beings. man wilh 11 thin fw Manchw 1-rd tied llTJ uiilh 11
Dwarfs show neither rear nor hatred of mortals. They piece ofpale blwe ribbon. A.n4mo wiU behiwe likr. a
live a simple life and prefer tmoompany of mortals who perfr:clly J'IOnnal 600 year old fanU, ml enough for
do too. lhret petiplt, and bt found. sleeping pe11ctfuTty In his
cradle whmnier q14esffar15 abuul the buby's unusual
All have the power to turn objects into gold or
behavior comt up. Any ser114nts living 111 the
gems, to become Wvisible and to affect rock and 1>tone
awetlllnl urlll quickly drop theprobltm child in //leir
more readily than any other Cretltw't'. If they use a
masters' laps. If treated well and 1UJt forced 10 expose
pickaxe or a shovel, they will be able to work five times
his Jett, AndMD will tJe happy ta silly, offering very
as fast as any mortal. All Dwarfs are supernaturally
opittitm12ted advia about almost everylhing, and oit
strong. and some have beu• known to use spell·like
lots offood. He om teach the skills. of chirwrgy.
moglc. medicine, wterinary, hisfary. bladcsmithing. and dice
Dwarfs tend to live UndE'T the ground or In stone games; the llllertts ofdrinking and storyielling; and
houses. Their powers with stone allow lhem lo quickly the ureptional talmts afpt•fed babrnce 11nd n1im­
create such homes and they may spend much of their icry. If trtAled my badly, arnuule to kfl his11ge, he
time expanding th� The other faerl1.'S like them little will be tllh'n away by an angry sqwad of hU re/11tivc9
because of their callousness towards living things. but who may do StJmt hlzrm to the slane slructure of the
they tend to serve their faerie
rulers well. rownant in their haste to rescue their HMby."
Dwarfs know where all the wealth of the
earth is Needless to 511,\i. any stary you play with Andrew
hidden and can dig through the earth to reach it. CtJn include mare than a taken amount of whimsy and
Therefore offers of money mean nolhing to them. To humor.
mortal eyes, the Dwarfs' major fault is their Jove of
Fa�rie Might; 30
mortal beauty. Occasionally, a Dwarf will fall in love
with a pretty mortal
man or woman, or take an l!Spe' Siu -2 Prs-1
cially fine dog, sheep, or cow. Their greate;t love, Inl +2
however, is fme-loolcing mo11al cluldren. Very old and TiJklltive +2
helpless Dwarfs or deformed Dwarf children are often
candidates for changelings (called
ldlkrops Jn this case).
Fat+2 Def+3 Sollk O
The Dwarf will depart and the child will be returned Body levels OK, -1, -3, lr1C11pacilattd
only If the Dwarf can be made to reveal its true age or
is
tre ted so
a badly thal the other Dwarfs must come and Creo Auram spells, level 30.
rescue it. For more informatkln, sec the section on lntl!llego Mentem spell5, level 25.
changellngs in Faerie/Human Interactions. Rego Mentem spells, level 15.

Faerie Might: 32
Gnomes
Abilities:
Gnomes are powerful earth faedL>s ranging rrom
Tranaform Inanimalr Objects. (limited to
eight inches 10 three reet tall. They look only vaguely
transfonning small objects into gold)
human, and appear very ugly and deformed to most
WITT fivetime!'i a5 last a� a mao with regards to mortal eyes. They live only in rocky or mountainous
rock and stone
places, and prefer cold countries. Gnomes are hard

CHAPTER Six: Bestiary 67

bargainers and arc not cspeci.:iny well-disposed toward
mortals. who are perceived as clumsy, dull and inexperi­ Blw Men ofMinch
t'nl:'ed. 'Ille gnomes tt.a:1 -clves are ancient and ageless.
the smiths of the gods (the faerie lords) in the days These gnomes livt in lht Minch, 11 Mrniw strait
before monal king5, priesls, prophets or magi Wer\' even bdwten islllnd5 off 1114 Scottish CTJQS/. They ort
heard of. Every gnome is a master craftsman and wor'ks tntiffly human in upp111mnce. but look rather likt
with cither melal or wood. They are not at all vulner­ Moo� (.Anibs). They can brmlhe water or air, �
able to iron. human langusge>, tind know thes«ret of walking on
thtsurfece of the still. Although they are excellrnt
W<irrlors and u/remtly strong, they have also bet11
To them, mortals' boasts of wealth, wisdom or
pawer are as ridiculous as an ant's claim of t"Xtraordl· known lo u.se magic. Blue Men li� lo harass ships
nary strength or a worm's boast of unusual beauty. which mOW" through the strait l1nd Wl11 mm wra:k
Over the ages, gnomes have stored away more gems,
shipi; i!Jl'l O(CllSion. They 11re bound by the power of
gold and objects of beauty than most mortals rould lllngllllgt, liowtver, and will not harm 11 pnson who
Ml tJul-tt1.lk them or 11 ship whDse capllii" ain get !he
imagine- They desire nothing but the rarest and most
unusua1 treasures of the earth, but these they desire lasl wofll in 11 ronvm11rion with /hem. They will
beyond all rcasnn. Nevertheless, a group of gnomes wslUllly !alt before ailacking, dlher llllllil'lg thtm­
may occasiorutlly be induced to create something for sdues pr with thdr intendtd uicfims.
mortals out of detached intecst in the outcome of an
rvent and the pure joy of making something new.
Gnomes make their homes beneath the ground are able to squeeze through sITlilll openings such as
and are never seen above it. Each gnome can partially or knotholes, but they cannot actually move through solid
completely assume the fonn of one tenant of the earth - matter. Nymphac usually wear a white shawl that can
a wonn, a beetle, a centipede, a mole - of the gnome's only be removed by male mortals who seek them as
own size. All can understand the languages of such lovers, and doing so bonds the mortal to them for as
creatures. An experienced team of gnomes can make long as the Nympha desires.
\itl'Ta\ly anything - a fWHized Wilfship that folds up Nymphae Inhabit various natural formations,
small enough to carry in a pocket, a life-sized mechani­ and are known by different names depending on where
cal p:-gasus that Ries, an anow that never misses ils they dwell Tl"l."e-nymphae are often called dryddis and
target, a diamond with a thousand facets as small as the are commonly confused with forest faeries. Nymphae
point of a pin. Not even the wisest of mortals can tell if inhabiting springs and ponds are called l'llfiadfs while
some of the gnome's productiof\'l an:i the result of magic those found in the sea are known as nertidis,
or pure craftsmaruihip beyond mortal understanding. It
(Dryas. plural Dryadis - tree nymphae)
b more acairate to say that they art magic rather than
they work magic. The very earth answers their com­ CNaias, plural Nailld6s- water nymphae)
mands, and all their productions can be 5ald to tx> both (Nereis, plural Nereides - sea nymphae>
magical and Impossible. Some nymphae can travel within a whirlwind,
Faerie Might: 28 and in this fonn bring fertility to croplands, livestock
Abilities: and even mortals. 1hey will sometimes attempt to
charm and �uce male mortals, especially mortals who
Magic Rni&tance,. 10.
take an inteaest In them. If a nympha's shawl b laken by
a mortal, sh!!will remain with lhat mortal until she can
Nymphae regain it. Nymphae can mate with mortals and produce
offspring (treat ,.uch offspring as having FacTic Bla<ld),
Nymphae are a rurlous group of Num.ina
Descrt6nun who do not fit nicely into any of the elemen­
tal groups. Although two types of Nymphae could be Faerie Might: 28
placed with the Numina Aquae and the third with the Abilities:
Silvestrla Numlna, they appear to have more similarities Herbam Spt'lls at Level 25
among themselves than with any of the previous groups. Communicate With Plant:>
Therefore, they are listed separately.
0..rm
Nymphae are female fertility spirits round
predominanlly in the most beautiful areas of the folerie Control Futility
realm. They are beautiful, graceful young kmales with
milk-white skin. Sometimes they se.:111 translucent and

68 fAHRl-es: A Complete Handbooll of the See:lie:

 One of the classic games of the High Fac>rics is
the grand game of good and evil. Most of lhe High
Faeries have arranged themselves into two opposing
camps, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. There are many
different Seelie courts as well as Un5eelie courts, but
they organize themselves along the same lines -
typically both can be found in each faerie area, l)pposi11g
one another. Mortals idC11tify the Seelie Court as good
and the Urueelie Court as evil. Whether this is the \\'ay
the faeries themselves think of things, or the oppo!llng
camps simply differ in their attitudes toward mortals, or
perhaps that they borrowed the whole idea of good and
evil from the stories of humans, no one can say.
11le core of both Courts cc1mes from the ranks !lf
the Daoine Sidhe, the nobility of the High Faeries. The
Sidhe use the appearances of chivalry, and often follow
its rules. They have queens and Sl)melimes kings, and
mysterious knights who dress in black, silver, gt('('Jl or
red. They hold courts, fairs and midnight rides abroad
in a!I of their splendor. Other faeries, especially High
Faeries, may be more or les& alliN with the Seelic or
Un:seelie Courts, regardless of l'.'hether or not they
prartiCf' the arts of chivalry. Fver1 solitary faeries of the
wilderness are sometimes called Seelie or Unseelie,
according to their attitudes toward mortals. It is Impor­
tant lo remember, however, that High Faeries are
unpredictable and proud of their scparate status from
mortals. The highest members of the Sce\ie Court are
still a far cry from all-beneficent ''faerie godmothers,''
and the darkest knights of the Un�lie Court have their
own nobility.
All High Faeries, when visible to mortal eyes,
HIGH FAERIES (Numlna have a human shape. Generally, they do not change
Quoddam Pbantastlcum) their shapes. They range from three inches to six feet in
heigh!, .ind 11re known for th.,ir finl' hawks., hors..-,,;,
The High Faeries are much like the classic elves hounds and livestock. Some live like mortal nobles,
of legend -aloof, aristocratic, and of both good and evil while others keep faerie fields and herds. All are
nature. They live apart from mortal society, but mimic affected in some fashion by iron, and all dislike new
Its conventions. While High Faeries look much like religion, excessive fire, noise and other disturbance$.
humans, dress like humans, even act like humans, they Unless olhcrwise specified, general information in this
differ from mortals in incomprehensible ways. book concerning faerie life a11d rustoms refers as well to
All human behavior is for them a kind of game. High Faeries.
The game may be a mere entertainment undertaken on a Though these High Faeries may have Celtic
whim, or it may be played with great seriousness for the names, they are not originally of Celtic origin - the
highest possible stakes. The High Facrit'!I best under� Celts were merely the last mortals to worship and name
stand the mortal concept of rules, and most oftcn tlu;m. Many of these High Faerie's may have Cl.'lti�
interact with humans 111 situations controlled by rules: characteristics because of their connection with that
games and contt-sts, acts of chivalry, and plays of good �ncient race.
and evil. Whether the faeries actually believe in chi\·­ There arc several basic types of High Faeries.
alry, good and evil, or the rules of chess is any mort<1l's They are classified here according lo the Court to which
guess. While all faeries play games, only the High they belong.
Faeries take it to such an extent; the olhl'l'S just follow
along. The best rule for mortals when dealing with the
High Faeries is to always take them SC'rious!y, l>ut to be SEELIE COUIIT (Ileqia Numinis)
ready to accept It as A joke.
In decreasing order of faerie might, the lacril'S of
the Scelic Court are: the Tuatl\a de Danann (Vanir in

CHAPTER Six: Bestiary 69

Northern Countries), the Daoine Sidhe {Mound Folk or
Hill People), the Tylwyth Teg, and the Sprites. Manannan Mac Llyr
Faerie Might: 45
The Tuatha de Danann (Numina Siu +5 Pni +6
Com +3 Per +3
Omnlpotentts)
Brlltle +5
lbe Tuatha are gud-like faeries who have not Ho110riible +5
been seen in the mortal world for centuries, if not Sword 1st +12 1\11 +lS Dam +18
mill!!nnia. Now they live only in Arcadia, though some Fat n/a Def +12 Soak +30
may visit the faerie realm from time to Lime. They arc Magic resistance +30 (+50 cm the ocain!
stili part of the Celtic tradition of gods, and include Body Itvds: 11/a (cannot be lei/led)
Manannan, Dagda, Lugh and Ogrna, who were desC'('n· Mi:lllllnP!ll'n is one of lhc Tuath4 de Dan#nn, 11,nd
danlsof Danu, mothCT of the gods. At one time, their isa huge mi;n fully twmty ft!el !all with golden hair
kind were the likely origin of many legends of god:<>. and a huge mggd beard. In pagan limes he was
Each of the Tuatha is lord over a natural clcmimt worshipped as a SeJl god, and may have btai /Ire
(the seas, wind, earth, elc.) and all are considerOO to origin of the legtmds of Neptune. He spends most of
have limitless magical power over that element. Within his time in Arcadia, bul his golden apparition Cl.In
Arcadia, they have tremendous power, and the reflc<:· sometinus be set'n on the ocean, uswil/y eillret in his
lion of the changes they make upon the morl<ll world waler (/rariot drawn by splendid faerie horses. or iri a
may be great indeed,u:<>ually taking the form of unu:<>uill hugt boa/ which f'r/lflels wherl!"l.>er he u;i/ls wit/rout
weather, earthquakes, sudden fertility or drought, etc. oars or sails. He is lord of those parts of Arcadia

The Sid he of our world worship the Tuatha on which con only be reached by crossing water.
pagan holidays and at faerie places such as stano.ling All things or people on or ne.ur Ike �I'll are of
stones and mounds. However, most of the Tuath.'! arc> intrresl lo Mananiwn , but the Isle of Mo11, betwel!ll
moody and temperamental, and do nC>I <lflen respond to Britannia and Hibernia, rs under his speoal prolec­
tio1i. He has the power lo co11trol waler and wind on
the ocmn (all Aquam and Aumm spells up to ltvel 60
al will), and may occasioiwlly sin� a ship from a
storm or cause a slQmt lo sink a ship crewed by
paiple who ham: offended him. Ma:nannan also
oca1sionally offers rides in his charior or booI lo anJ
from Arcadia (on such rides, he ddennines how lhe
relali� time rates between Arcadia and the mortal
world will workJ. Someti111es he will take o group of
nob/a and magi to Arrarhf1, o ther timrt; Iv 111ill carry
a singIt serf. If the pas.o;e11gers particularly plea�e
him, they may dine al his stronge and wol'!drous table
i11 Arclldili (where pigs are l'Qlen whuh came a/We
each 1n!lming after they are slaughterl?d and mien lht!
previous night}. Manannon is a skillful warrior. who
wields lhe Az11rdanno swurd, impenetrable magic
amior, and a helmet which slints like the .�un on the
WQfer and blinds hi5 foes.
Like 11// beings associated with the�. Manon·
nan is qldttfickle and subject lo whim Pf11ile ness

and patience wi// /Je a.� likely to win his ftit'Or as

lavish gifts ur displays af power. Threats art a
particularly bad idta, since he is much mtire pawerful
than even the mos/ poWl'rful magus.

the needs of the other faeries. Generally, mortals will

rarely encounter the Tuatha and the faerie gods will
almost never come into an Ar& Magica saga. If they ever
do, the character had better be cautious as the Tuatha de
Danann would as soon destroy their guC'Sts when 1hcy
tire of them as il5k them to leave.
Faerie Might 45

70 fAeR1Es: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

 The Daoine Sldhe (Numlna Tumul6rum)
The Sidhe have tribes in both Seelie and Un­
DAOlNF:
seelie Courts.. The Seelie tribes are tall, pale, goldcn­
haired faeries. Theyare master craftsmen and artisans,

and the knights and ladies of the Sidhe represent the

classical ''white faeries" of legend. The Unsee\ie mem­
bers of the Danoine Sidhc cannol stand the sun of lhe
mortal world. They die or tum to stone If touched by
the sun's rays. All Sidhe have the powers of invisibility,
infatuation and glamour, Many individuals have the
power to enchant objects, change shape, conlTol mortals
by gare or fly. They are accomplished heal('fS and
musicians.
Jn physical appearance, they are tall and slen­
der, usually having pale hair and eyes which may be any
color except brown or black, including such rare colors
as yellow and violet. Their sldn is always pale, without
marks or fn"'<'kles,
and in some it may look like Jiving
porcelain. The long, slender faces of the Sidhe have a
disturbing non-human quality and are strong and finely
made, with high cheekbones, prominent eyes and strong
noses. Their demeanor can vary from smilingly radiant
to coldly beautiful.
The Sidhe arc the nobility o( the High Faeries,
and as nobles, they are
the faeries who are most con­
remcd with the faerie courts and their int('ractions.
Many faeries are content 10 live their immortal Jives one
day at a time - eating. playing, and interacting with the
occasional faerie or mortal who Cl'01iWS their paths.
However, as with all nobles, many Daoine Sidhe have
larger ambitions.
11lef frequently engage in games of power and
pieces. Such realms ane best avoidl'd unless one is eithC'!"
status with one another. The magical, martial, verbal
well-informed about the lnhabitant(s) or very powerful.
and fashion contests of t:hC' Sidhe have very real conse­
quences for those involved. The status and power of
those involved in these "games'' depend on their Faerie Might: 313
outcome. Aside from politics and the courts, most Abilities:
Daoine Sidhe follow the pastimes of nobles everywhere: Invisibility
hunting, feasts, festivals, dances, entertainers, ga!Tl('s of
Infatuation
chance and skill, and, of course, magic.
Glamour
The most powerful Sidhe sometimes u� their
magic to create elaborate castles within their realms, Some individual Sidhc h.ive magical abilities,
which is the home of a high queen (or king). All matters largely in the fonns of Herbam and Animal.
of intrigue and politiL"S swirl around its corridors at all
times of the day and night. However, in many areas, the
The Tylwyth Teq �Vinclnl Boni)
Sidhc lords swear allegiance to no higher ruler - they
care nothing for anyone or anything outside their small The Tylwyth Teg are known as the ugood
realm. They may create a small magical castle, but most neighbors'' and they lead lives somewhat like those of
commonly they live with their subjects within the forest, mortals. They are between three and four feet tall, with
valley or mound. Though they may be somewhat rustic a very slender build. Their hair and skin tend to be
in comparison with their kin,. these faeries are still quite darker in color than that of the Daoine Sidhe, and some
eccentric and strange, with unu:rual hobbies or pas1imes have animal features, such as C<1nine ears or tails. l"he
ranging from caus!ng all the plants in their realm to good neighbors are responsible for thC! majority of thefts
grow in complex interrelating patlcms, to elaborak' of children and goods from mortals - most changelings
games like faerie (or human) chess with live playing come from them. They try to mimic the lives of mortals
in every way possible, going as far as to seem to age as

CHAPTER Six: Bestiary ''

mortals do, and to steal children so that they can pretend
Rnn.anche
that the children arc their own.
All Tylwyth Teg have the power to create
Fauie Migl1t: 10
Illusions that will fool !he senses of sight, hearing and Siu-5 Qik +5 Pre +I
touch. They can only be c:ast on an �sting objoct which Dtx+3 Pre +J Ptr +2 Cum +3
roughly rC'S('mbles the illusion to be created. Such Brave +3
illusions can last for several days, but arc not permanent.
Illusions are oftton used to create the appearance that a
Frie11dly +3
stolen person or animal is still in the mortal world, or Tiny rapier; 1sl +9 Alk +8 Dam +2
!hat a changeling looks like the stolen mortal child. Fat+2 De/+13 SoakD"
Some Individual Tylwyth Teg may use non-Hermetic Body laitl!i: -1' -3, lncapiu:illlted
magic spells. enchant items (usually garments of Invisi­
•+J damage from irDn weapons.
bility or flight), or control mortals. All can increase or
decrease the fertility of crops and livestock. &manche is a sprite about three inches ta//. He
hus large roloiful butkrfly wings, a long ral/ikt fact,
lbcy frequently live in the faerie realm near a
and 11111.-ed pink eal'S "1ld Ul1l. Otherwise, Rmulnch i5
human village. and may even live within a village that i5
nearly identkal to the irortal one (with a few significant
wvered wilh soft sUvay fur. He carries long sil1oer
a

darning needle, o:ireful/yJilted with a rross handle

differences, such as cottages made out of living twes and
whidi � 11.S 11 rapier.and wwrs 11 large floppin�
thatch made out of living grass). Sometimes they go as
far as to pretend they are the villagers, and will spend
green hat wilh 11 tiny feather in the band, Remancht!
consider:; himself11 SWll5hbuckler and 11 knight-in­
much time spying on their counterpart so as to make
their role perfect {which they never seem to do - there
tniining, ar:d CD113lantly seeks out mortal company in
are just some tilings they cannot understand). Their
hopei of being acccpled somewhere as a squire. &­
obsession with mortab knows no bounds and they a1t
manche has !he power Jo turn any non-living objecl
capable of doing anything tn their immortal study.
or gr<Jup ofobjects up l<J his own si:ze inlo fine si/va,
by louch, anytir11e he desi� lo do so.
Faerie Might: 36
Abilitil'S:
Wuslons
rower over the fertility of crops and livestock.

Sprites
Sprites arc tiny faeries, a few inches tall at most.
They wear clothing of leaves and Aowers, and make tiny
s�ords, armor and fine goods. Their rourt is ruled by a
king and a queen, sometimes called Oberon and Titania.
The queen's home is often given as Mab. All sprites ran
fly, though only some havt> visible wings. They have the
power of invisibility, and some have animal features,
particularly those of winged insects or birds. They
typically S('rve as the court of the other High Faeries'
and will wmctimes even do as they are bidden.

Faerie Might: 10
Abilities:
Flight
Invisibility

,, fAEDll!S: A Comp1ete Handbooll of the: See:Ue:

THE UNSl!l!UE COURT (Numlna
Morgan Le Fay
lndecorl)
Fanit Might: 50
In deoeasiTig mdu of faerie might, the faeries of Siu 0 lnl +S Du +4
the Unseelk> Court are: the Unseelie Lords, the Kia­ Pre+S Cmn +5
Sidhe, Hags and Ogres. the Host, and the Imps. The Unforping +5
Ungeelle Lords are the counterpart to the Tuatha and Anti-Dominion +6
will rarely be encountered by mortals. They will nol be f:tJI n/4 Def +12 Sook+15*
Body lerJiJ/s: OK,D/O, -1/-1, -3, -5, lnmpatllaled
dealt with here.
•+2 dllmllgefrom iron weiipons
Kla-Sldhe (daemonla) Pawtrs: lnf4hlati011; sluipe·chllngt stlf lr1to
hootlttl crow; �Wng in Irn.4grmmi, Mm/em,
The Kia.-Sidhe look just like the Daoine Sidhe,
Muto, &go up to kiJel SO; F� Sight. She suffers
unless they choose lo assume other shapes, I.lid have
no pm11lty fur sponhtne<nls spd/5.
similar powers. All ihe Sidhe have the SI.Ille kinds of
Morgan It FtJY is a faerie noblt of the hiJihl!St
powers. thlnigh the Unseelle tnl>es tend to change their
ronk. SM is one of lhra sisters, I� others bring
shapes or appearances more &eely. The major difference
NDMn lor Nimnel tJml Macha Morgan and Jw
between the tw<J types is that the Unseclie Sidhe are
sislm tue rwl to/ally hostile to hlmf4n beings as 11
vampiric. The Sidhe of the Seelic Court arc nol a1ways
m411er of principle; they mjuy the ctm1pi1ny of nw.gi
happy about their depe11denceon mortal vita.lity, and
a"4 othc:r such ertlightend scholtlrs. Their war is
they do not always treat mortals well. However, they
accept the traditional forms of faerie dept"ndcnce on against the Dominl011 and againsl morial power Qtler
mortals. The Unseelie Sidhe work more directly. They all the land. Mortals who reject 111£ Dominion, folluw
drain the blood of mortals, usually lhoM" they have /he old UJllY'. llrid are willing to be second to IM /orU
offaerit will find M qullTrtl with M01gan le Fny.
infatuared or defeated in battle, to gain mortal powers.
This slso replenishes their Faerie Power.
Against lhe rtsl, she. is mm:iltss.
Morgan �rs mcst often as a btauliflll Sidhe
waman - Uil/, JBle and golden-haired. rn lhis form,
Faerie Might: 44 she hAs been 5«11 fo rise out of llu! walo of (ertai11
Ablliti('S: lahs. She 0111 also appe1r1. as a bl«k Mg, 11nd trautls
Invisibility in the � ofa hoodell cMD, as do her sislers, Her

Infatuation prtftrena is lo fight O.e insidious conversio� of Jhe

Dominion '7y fordng wnoe1sio11S tn tl1e faerir: aiuse.
Glamour Hr:r us111.1/ Wl'.apilm are rn.agjc, diplomacy, per6JJll5ion,
Shapec:hange to Animal tJnd her pawr.r vf infatuaffi:m. Those who fight her
Shapechange to Object more dirtcl/y, however, willfind her"' terrll;ltJoe.
Vampirlsm--- Drinking one pint of mortal blood �he ha5 the power to t:hoose a rn.urUi/ chllmpion a11d
1nfau him orher with fllnie might. This gi!lt's lhe
boosts the Faerie Might of an Unseelie Sidhe back to its
champion magic l't!Sistance, incraistd slrmsth,
maximum.
stannM, and SOl!k-rolfs, and Fturie Sisht.
Some individual Sidhc have magical abilities, A curious slory is lold of her. It is saM she hiis
1.trgely in the form5 of Herbam and Anlmdl. tM powtt lo surnm011 her sisttTS, Nonan lhe ln­
lriguer tJnd Madw the Slaughttter of E.nemits, Qnd
lhill when she does, lhe thrtt appear as Oftl!. Thi!i has
Id many to believe thal they are not lhrte fatr1c
Ogecs are powerful Unseelie Faeries of �lstiirs al tJ//, bul three parts ufone being, lhe
enormous size (+2 ta +5). They have no magic save their unimaginably �rful faerie Lord of War, known In
supemal'llr.tl toughness and strength. Ogres are often the pagun c�tts as Badb (prorwunced Bibel.
permanently in attendance as guards to other Unseclie
faeries. Og1cs may be male or female, and they re­
semble uncouth or deformed giants. hu�n beings, many of them being th(.> size of !he sprites.
Faerie Might 21 Their true appearance ls diffkult to determine bl.>cau.<oe
they are usually invisible. All the Hosl have this po¥o"er
and can fly as well. Within the Dominion, 1he)· are
The Host (teniculamenta) sometimes thought of as the horde of lesser inhabitants of
The Host are the rank and file faeries who Hell, or as the souls of mortals whose lives W('l'C so e\'il
follow the Unseelie Lords. They are much smaJk>r than that they could be said to have lost lhcir humanity.

CHAPTEll! SIX: 8e:stlory 73

 All High Faeries can be found in great night· Faeric Might: 8
time processions or rades. 1ne Host typically follow Abilities:
either the Oooked Hunter or the Homed Hunter, two of
Cause Ore�s/Visloru
the Unseelie Lords, during these rades. It is something
like an aerial fox-hunt, with members of the court, their Elhhot
horses. and their hounds chasing noisily but invisibly
through the night air. The object of the rade is to
Hatis (laruae)
frighte11, sicken and kill those on the ground. Thi:' faeries
themselves can bring terror, madness, visions, and Hags are fcmale faeries of terrible appearance,
unbalanred states of mind. If they arc riding without but are usually quite intelligent. They shun the social
the Lords of thl' Hunt, however, they need mortals to whir!, but will appear at the Unseelie Courts i f callC'd
err.ire true physical damage or death. Humans found upon, which they often do to si t in judgment of disputes.
outdoors when the rade passes over without its lords Hags may have spell-like powers, often as.'iOdaled with
will be caught up and carried along. They are given elf­ waler, or may use Hennetic spells as well.
arrows and told to shoot those on the ground or be shot Faerie Might: 17
themselves. Plred by the Host of the rade, the arrows
can cause visions, madness, or phantom pain or paraly­
sis which disappl'ars with the dawn. Fil'l'd by a mortal,
trn>y cause diSc.>ase or sudden death to the target struck. Imps (surcult lnHnltll)
Mortals who report being carried along sa.y that lhey can Imps are tiny, distorted faeries which only
sometimes survive by shooting livestock inslead of vaguely resemble mortals. They are never more than a
people. Either thl' Host cannot distinguish easily among foot tall. Some can fly or changco shape while others ride
the fonns of mortal life or they do not care as long as distort� mounts �mbling horses, goats or chickens.
something mortal is destroyed. They like to poke people with sharp objc.'Cts if they can
find any that haw not been blessed, made of iron, or
protected by charms. They shoot thorns with tiny bows
or blowpipes which cause minor pains and unfeeling
spots on the skin. Their favorite tricks are to drag
disease-ridden objc<'t:s into traveler;;' paths or to tum
into a small itC'm like a coin and attempt to lure mortals
over cliffs. In the Dominion, they fonn processions on
ill-omened days like the eve of All Saint's Day, when the
power of the Church is weak. They can sometimes do
real damage at these tinies, laming prize horses, blinding
the pretty children of influential families, and so on.
However, imps cannot resist bragging about their deeds
and the stupidity of mortals, so anyone who can find
their dwelling-plares may overhear the remedies for the
damage they have caused, and which they arc convinced
mortals are too stupid to know.
Faerie Might: 23
Abilities:
Right
Shapec.hange to Animal

Numlna Mani- low faeries

The Numina Mani are the faeries which are most
Often encountered by mortals, for they frequently reside
within the Dominion (but only up to 3 aura). As faeries
of the human world, they inhabit places known to
mortals illld do nol automatically flee from mortal
coniact. Unlike lhe High faeries, Numina Maoi do 001
believe in remaining aloof from human society. They
fulfiU their need for mortal contact not by copying the

74 FAERIES: A Complete Handboolt of the Seelle

 Numina Mani tend to look more like Numina
Desert6rum than like High Faeries. They have similar
uncouth fuatures and animal characteristics, though they
are almost always human-like in shape and small in
stature. Some are so similar to certain wilderness faeries
that it has been suggested that Numina Mani are "do­
mesticated" Numina Descrt6rum, just as fannland is
'"domesticated'' wildctttcSs. Jn places i..·here wilderness
and civilization are very dOfoe lOgether, l ike the wild
mountain fanns and paslures of northern Europe, this
CaJ1 be a good rule of thumb. In places like England and

Russia, where the fields have bc\.1'1 laboriously tom from

the vast wilde11m, Numina Mani tend to cluster
around the rural household. In the ancient centers of
civilization like Italy, Numina Mani have become very
far removed indeed from the wildcn\{'SS. In general, the
more closely involved wilh mortal civilization a Numen
Manus is, the less likely it Is to be bothered by religion,
bells, clocks or iron. The nmst extreme cases are rertain
city faeries who live in churches, dress as religious
officials, and may even be immunl.' to exorcism.
However, no faerie can live Jn a place where the
Dominion is complete and the Faerie Aura not present at
all. While they can su rvive a Dt.iminlon of up to 3, they
require the ''taste'' C'lf Faerie Aura at least onC<' a year.
However, ii is quite oommon for the Faerie Aura to
appear during C<'rtain great fl'Stivals, t'V('TI within a large
city. It may not overwhelm tht• Dominion throughout
the city, but in C<'rtain reliars, fountains and shoemak1c'T
shops, it may happen every night (where the centers of
regic once stood). When the Dominion gt-ts too strong
mortals' world, but by becoming part of it. This is not to and the Faerie Aura disappears, the Numina Mani must
say that they are all friendly lo mortals all of the time.. sleep, but when the Faerie-Aura relums they reawaken,
,

As a group, the low faeries arc rnore likely to be weJl­ no matter how much time has el apsed. 1hcre are stories
disposed toward humans than either the High Faerics or of cities coming alive with low faeries during thl.' day of
the Numina Descrt6rum, but individuals can be unpre­ an eclipse.
dictable. They often like to see just how far their mortal Numina Mani, like N\1mina O&sert6rum. an­
companions can be pushed, and don't like to be forgot­ classified according to thl.'lf area of influence. For
ten as faeries, different and beyond human understand­ Numina Mani, these areas are: watcher, household,
ing, by these humans. work place, field, and city.
For all of their bicke-ring. Numina Mani are part
of the hun'\an landscape, and without it they would be
Numina Vigilans,...- watcher faeries
lost. The low faeries have lost much of their Faerie
Might because of the Dominion. To compensate for this A few types of faeries inhabit human lives in the
loss, they have tak('TI on power over the critical, magical same way their cousins inhabit lakes, mountains or
aspi;octs of human life; making fire, brewing, baking, forests. Humanity is their cnvironmt'llt They arc like
.

fanning animals, crea ting, building, bringing food from wildernes.� faeries in f(lnn and power and their interest
the soil and wealth from befleath the <.>arth. Daily in mortals is not dirC<"t ur pi;"tsonal as it is with the other
,

business betwC'C'n low facrl{'s and mortals can bee<.­ Numina Mani.
trt'm'-'IY complex, but the essential nature of the relation­
ship is simple. Many mortals depend on the Nurnin.a
Mani for the romforts of civilization. Without the /aerie Banshees
help, a craftsman could be ruined; without faeries, the There are many types of Numina Vigilans who
cows might not give milk. For Numina Mani, the are able to sustain themselves in the Dominion by
equation is equal ly slmplc - they are no longer part of becoming a guardian to a certai11 family or plaa.>. The
the wilderness; without mortals to harass, jibe, observe, most tragic of these tutelary faeriC'S alt' thi> &nshees,
aid, sucror and pmtect, they would be nothing.

CHAPTE11 Soo Bestiary 75

which invariably attach themselves to a certain family or Brollachan
clan. it is thought that through the dedication of their Brollachan appear as shapeless, indescribable
guardianship, they
arc somehow giwn the ability to areas of darkness. They may have mouths or eyes,
withstand the pawcr of the Dominion. Perhaps God though usually they do not speak. They move like slugs
favors those who spend their lives in the protection of and can assume any shape that docs not require skeletal
others.
support. Their motives and level of intelligence are not
The Ban5hre can be heard weeping upan the known, though some mages maintain they are attracted
death of any member of that family or clan and may to sites of past or future violence. Anyone 1ouching a
even go 90 far as to aid them in
war. It is
thought that brollachan wlll reu-iv" .,.5 damage from (old eacl1 .-ourJ
they are the ghost of a dead an(.'{'stor of the clan, a contact is maintained {Soak from armot' dOl"S not pro­
forbcal'CT who had much faerie blood in them. tect) and will experience a vision{Storyguidc's choice of
It is unwise to offend a Banshee, for then they content). Some brollachan attack by crawling over
will move to another farm. If the family moves, Ban­ victims and ":owallowingu them. Others passively allow
shees have � known to follow, but sowctimes this contact or actively avoid it. They dislike iron and will
can be very difficult for them if the family moves lo a avoid touching it.
plare when-. the Dominion is stronger. Faerie Might 17
Other guardian faeries are bam brownies. lobs,
and cellar currichlans.
Patae
Faerie Might: 18
The fatae are thefaeries of human destiny. They
Abilities: Flight
appear as old women at the birth of children, and to
Invisibility travelers, visionaries, oracles, and those about to die.
Death Wall - cur5e5 the victim so that They know the past and the 1Jutcome of distant events
they have an untimely death and can prophecy about the future if they choose tc do
so. The best known are the Greek Fates and lhc Ger-

Morae
Morae are the faeries of dreams, especially of
nightmares. They can transform themselves Into insects,
twists of hair, mote5 of dust, or rays of light to reach the
rest- protected mortali;. TilC')' must make physical
con tact with the Sll.'Cpcr to create dreams. In addition to
their night-time forms, they can travel with a waking
per.;on in the form of a pet bird, riding horse, ore� a
human companion. Some morae are vampiric by nature
and slowly weak entheir victims by suffocation, exhaus­
tion, loss of blood, or night !errors. Olhers draw their
chosen mortals into Arcadia through dreams which
become more and more real. Some morae are mere
dilettanies. These less powerful creatures cause fine
dreams or nightmares out of sheer whim. They may
visit a mortal once or many times, can weaken mortals
but nol kill lhCtln, and can be kept away by garlic or
chalk lines drawn around the openings in the house.
The more powerful types can only be overcome by
volunteers who sleep beside the afflicted person and
reason with or battle the mora in a dn.>am,or by finding
the form the moera takes to reach the sle!.'pcr and
destroying it.

Faerie Might: 2.8

Abilities:
Shapechange Into Animal
Shapechange lnlu Objeet
Prophecy/Divination (in the form of dreams)

76 fAEDIES: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

manic Noms, who spin the threads of life, but there are
many others- the ten faeries who appear at lhe birth of
certain children to foretell their fates, the Old Oak
Woman who revealed to the gods the art of writing and PAD FOOT
magic, the three Ancients who can be found in a
thatched hul anywhere In the world, weaving a great
tapestry and taking on one another's shapes for amuse­
ment .

Faerie Might: 27
Abilities:
Prophecy!OivWtion

Blacll Dogs
These creatul't'5 areas large and as heavily built
as young catUe. They are completely black, headless
and move without sound. They sometimes chase down
people, who may be found dead the next day without
any mark on their bodies, only gigantic footprints in the
earth all around. The black dog's howl is said to be as
lethal as the scream of mandrakes, but it can i,e. caught
in a glass botllC' and preserved If a person can get within
earshot and survive. Black dogs cannot hurt a person
wearing a religious symbol or someone who is praying.
Faerie Might: 12
Abilities:
Silent Movement
Lethal Howl

Redcaps
Redcaps (not to be confused with the covenant Padioou
••on11 en. known as redcaps) inhabit ruined c.:istles
m•..,•g
Pad foots appear as green or black dogs the size
and towers in empty places In the Bntish Isles. They arc of Great Danes. Somctimcs they attack travelers, but
three or four feet tall and resemble miniature OgTI$ with usually they pad along just behind and try to cause lhe
red eyes, protruding fangs and iron daws. Each one person to meet their gaze. Such pe1.•ple are controlled
wears a red cap, which Is the creature's pride and joy, and afterwards remember nothing Their prt'SC'TlCe in
kept brighl with fresh human blood. One particular
.

distant plao.-s, performing bizarre, mystl'rioui;;, or illegal

Rt'Clcap lives in a Scottish tower which has the curious act;vities or set:"ming It> exhibit magical powcr5 will
characteristic of appearing whole a11d inhabited once sometiml"> be- rC'ported later on. SomC'timcs, a deter­
each year, on lhe annlversary of the day the tower·s mined person can drive off a padfoot with a stick. Other
mortal inhabitants were slaughtered in their beds by a times, they seem to be- killers as efficient as bears or
rival family. The Rl'<lcap carefully lights candles in the hungry wolve5.
windows and waits for unsuspecting lTavelers lo pass
Faerie Might: 16
by.
Abilities:
There are many other Redcaps who inhabit
those places humans have claimed and then forgotten. Human (Ontrol
They are particularly likely to appear to mortals who are
the 5urviving mcmbcTs of great and ancient famili<'S or
Clacb.ers
they can be found in places tlwt once had some great
.
significance to mortals. They are nlOst often terrifying in Llacker.i are faencs that only appear on certain
appearance, but some rescmbll' human ghosts. nights at a crossroads beneath which someone has been
buried. ·rhey appear as the skull and jaw of a horse
Faerie Might: 23
mounted on a sev.-.n-foot-high IJl.�lc or circular wooden

CHAPTER SIX: Bestiary 77

 Sysiraeus
FaerieMighl: 8
Siu -2 Int +3
Com +I Qik +1
Mischieoows +I Curlow +3
Fat 0, Def ...6, Soak +8
Body levels: OK. -1, -5, tncapc:i,·italtd
Sysiraeus �r.; as 11 coba11 ll/ue·w111ged 5l7pl.711
about feur feet long wilh 11 human face. fl lit•� u1Jder­
tlt!lllh a window an:h in tlu! a/chemic11J /11b<iralory of
Autiochus, the Persian 11/chl:'lnist-in-chief lo the King
of Splin. Sysiraeu.s lws become a fairly knawledgeable
alch1!111ist, and prm1ides Autiochu.� with the inmi/uable
seroiCl! of damping out dangrrous alchemical rra,­
tinns, which it a.in do by immersing itself in lhe
solution. Sysiraeus loves lo talk 111!'1 is fl11i7lt in High
French, PMlt'nt;al, Spanish, Gr�rk, Uitin, and Arabic.
Its presence increases the probabilil.I/ ofsuccr.s� 11f an
a/chernir;a/ reaction (�dd 2 to a s�lll ra//).
Sysiraeus can cast a\1 lgnem SJX'lls al lt>vel 25.

they bestow favor.; upon the household. The� favors

can range from preventing accldl'nls tn making the
household's beer or bread unusually fine to doing all the
hard labor necessary to keep the ho11schold running. lf
they are ever mistreated, they either d!Siippear lmn1edi­
atcly or become dangerously malevolent_ Many have
unusually strict or unusually lax ideas of morality, Jo
which they will want the hllUSChl'ld to confonn.
ng. They can be lound by following tl\c clacking sound At their bc;t, they are 1nd1spcnsable. Al their
made by the rattling of lh<.'ir tce1h. If addressed with � wor.;I, thcy are tooth-grir>dingly difficult to deal with,
propcr ritual (known by a few wiSI' men and women or but they are among the IC"ast d.:ingerous of faeries.
hNge wizards), a c.\acker will truthfully answer as many
questions as there are branches in the crossroads at
which it stands. Brownies
Faerie Might. 10 Brownies are roughly human in shape. They are
Abilities:
the size of children, spindly, wrinkled, brown-skinned,
sometimes hairy, and usually naked. They tend to be
Prophecy!Dlvination extremely shy and very hard·w<1rking, clC'aning, m<'nd­
ing and working late !nto the night. They live in cellars,
on expDsed rafters, or by the fire, and do not usually
Numina Doml- household faeries
allow themselves to be seen. Unlike mo5!t 11ou5t.'hold
Thl'S<o> faeries stay close ll) thC' mortal houoohold faeries, who shun the ct•mpany of the rich and mighty,
in which they live. Most of tht>m are extremely shy and brownies are SOmC'l!mes found in great 11ouM'S, whcrl'
never leave their posts by the fire or allow themselves to they usually live in the kitchen or pantry. Jn rl'tum f{1r
b<> seen, while others are namboyanl, and come and go their work, brownies musl be fed every day, their minor
as they pleast' (but only in thl"" most rural of villages). pranks and noisemaking to\(.'rated, and they and Iheir
These faerie's forms vary aC'COrding to type, and work must never be insulted. They may become angry
some change shape in limited ways, but all, however, and hostile if these!" things arc forgotten, if their mortals
share a few basic traits. They live in or near a mortal's are slovenly, or if someone does their work for them.
hou5e. Thl""y like to be fed, and if they are well-treated, Many brownies will depart for g{l(\d if g1v"n clothing.

,. FAflllfS: A Complete flancfboo&r of the SeelJe

'l'his is apparently not an insult, but a treasured gift
which ends their nl?'ed to labor. Brownies do not usually
change shape, but <'ill\ become invisible. Bl{OWNI&
Other names for brownies include Hobgoblins
(England), Bucas (Wales), Duende (Spain), PolteJspriles
(Germany), and Hutchen (also Germany).
faerie Might 12
Abilities:
Wviaibility
Can pttform luge amounts of work

House Baslliscs
The House Basiliscs appear in the form of
snakes, half·roostCJ' and half-hen, or creatures that
combine snake and rooster features. A few have been
known to appear as children with claws. They are fond
of sunning themselves and like to sit near running
water. Like brownies, they can easily become invisible
and always do so when anyone but the family is around.
They can fly and travel in the form of fire -
hens with fiery tails, bright streaks or fireballs. They do
less household work than other household faeries,
bringing good luck and gifts instead. Their loyalty is to
their own household, however, and some of the more
raucous House Baslliscs make a habit of stl.'aling goodies
from the neighbors to bring home. They are curious and
fearless despite their small stze. Chicken-shaped
Basiliscs can also be- loud, mischievous, and demanding,
while se•pe11t Basilisc:s tend to be- more even-tempe1ed.
If badly treated, they will tum on the household, causing hearth, they inhabited the hearth. This pl'OC't?SS seems to
sickeoess or hiding "olcn goods in the offending mortal's have taken place in an-as where mortals valued the local
bed and bringing the authorities. Unlike many house­ faeries. In remote areas, mortals still bring the faeries
hold faeries, howeveT", they will forget their anger if indoors by cutting an ltnagl' from the living wood or
proper apologies are made. II is said they have the stone for the faerie lo inhabit and mo�ing it into a secret
power of prophecy. If they choose to use it, plare within the house.
Basiliscs are also known as Ra.rash and Aitwaras The mo�l primitive cobalts inhabit these images
(Eastern Europe), Souffle (France), Stoicheios (Greece), just as dryads inhabit trees. Most, howevE"r, havE" come a
am.I Tsmok (Russia). long way from their wilderness ancestors. They have a
Faerie Might: 8 particular area of influence within the household -
Abilities: hearth, ham, stable, bathhouse - depending on their
Invisibility original narurc.
Flight {in fire form) Usually they appear as dwarfish, shlrdy,
P.rophecy/Olvln.ation swarthy men, between two and three feet tall. They are
always hairy, either furry all over or thick of hair and
bearded. All are enonnously strong. Some, particularl.Y
Cobalts those who care for animals, have animal features. They
These household faeries seem originally to have are opinionated but not prudish, enpy carousing when
bren forest, earth, or fire spirits. Unlike most wilderness the- work is donr, and generally demand all the rights
faeril?li, who sicken if their homes are disrurbed, these and privileges of a member of the f;1mily. In the areas
st!Jrdy faeries have more fully adjusted to hwnan that still welcome them (which are growing scan:cr, for
beings. If their tree was cut to build a house, they the Church frowns on such things), every family has its
moved into the house. If their fire was brought into a cats, its dogs, and its ct1balts.
Faerie Might: 12

CHAPTER Soc: Bestiary 79

 agoBALTtf HabetTot
FU£rie Might; 20
Siu O Prt -3
Chx+S Str+3
Int +3 Shn +5
Kind +2
Just +3
Magic resistarice +30
Fat ri/fl Def +10 Soal: +12
Body /�15: OK, 0, �1, -3, -5, Inazpt«it11led
Hflblilrol is queen of the wawer �ries. She h,gi;
ln(lny houses in many courilries, but fllWOJIS /he sr;ime
l e. Habetrot shows herselfa.s 11.11 old, old
apperll'l11C
woman wilh fl io118 11DSt flnd fl penduloU5 /0U!I" lfp
that almost touches the ground. The ugliness of lhtse
deformities is C11USed by constant spinning and
Ulf»Ving. She has lhe power lo su the future and
cure any wound or disease. She am weave these
powers inl(! garments which give the "We(lrer visions
or Faerie Sight, (}r shirts flnd bandages which heal
the sick or injured who pul them on.
Hflbetrol can flppear and disappe.t.ir alwill,travel
from Oni! place to another without regard fer the
am0111tl of time the journey wmtfd rwnnally !ah, and
wiJ others in the Sdme Wlly. She is kind but 1101
foolish, likai being flattered, is wdl disposed !award
rrwrials, gl.'IV:Tlllly, flnd tolr:mles no misf�tmrnl.
She is lonely, hoW<'Ver, flnd grows .angry when
Numlna Laboris - worilplace faeries �guests� a.st lo leave.
Hahlilrot lives in a small cottage which i·an only
The5e low faeries are found where mortals labor.
be sun by touching a water-rounded stone or looking
Some, like the mifle faeries, have a natural affinity for
thr011gh a stone with fl natural hole in ii and speak­
such places and are willing lo cooperate with humans.
irig htr name. Sht invites in some of those who do so
Others simply love to mimic human activities.
and lnstflrit/y they aJJfdlr beside hcrcotlage (lhough
Numina Laboris vary greatly in appearance. their actual bodies do not moue). If lhese guests
With the exception of the tiny faeries, they tend to have ple.ast htr, sht may even give thmz fl xi_�. lhawgh she
a human-like appearance with the charactt'ristic physical will be reluctant to ltt then leave. When they do
features or their work elUlTIIlDus1y distorted. Tileir finally convi111.·e her to let them go. she angrily wishes
relationship to humans is simple; they appredale those them away and they rwppear in their bodies. Huw­
mortals who work hard and 1cspect the old traditions. erier, they will find thill they may have been go� for
They have great sympathy for the hardships of the work, some time (yoi:rs in wme cases) rnui that lhty were
and often help tho5C who respect them and do not very sick while Ihey weregone. II 1night ta/cc them
complain too much. Politeness, for these faeries, is several monlh5 10 recover.
always a virtue. A gift of food from a mortal who has
In Arcadifl, she would be equal to the Tuatha de
little has great value to them.
Danann in pawer, but she prefers the mortal refllm
They will sometimes ask mortals to perform iln (though her cottage may indeed somehow be wi1hi11
especially odious task or will aid mortals in ways that at Arcadia).
first appear annoying, ThOSt' who respond with good
grace are rirhly rewarded. Most Numina U..boris know
Goblins (Pumlll} - mine faeries
where the owner's hidden stock of treaswe is roncealed.
WCSJvt'I' faeries can spin golden thread. They will never These faeries usually appear as dwarfish,
teach the sec•et of maklng wealth, bul may !!hart' lhe gnarled old men with bent backs and enormous hand�.
resu lls with their ra vorites. They wear poin1ed caps and old-fashioned working

80 fAf.Rles: A Complete Handboob of the Seelie

clothes - boots and heavy caftans. They warn miners of
impending danger by loud wailing or by throwing Aunt-in-the-Rye
rocks. A lucky miner an follow the sound of their tiny FurV Might 32
sliver picks and shovels lo a rich vein of ore. Mine Siu+3 to-3
lauies demand wages -eithe-r a run working man's lnJ +l Pre+1
wages or daily gifts of food. Anyone who steals from Per +3 Impatient +3
their wages will be fu1U1d in the mine shaft with a Ula children +2
brokm neck. Mine faeries are tad tum and fond of Magic resistance +40
routine, but are usually helpful to mortals. They often
Fat n/tJ Def +12 Soak+20
carve out their own caves within the- rock for their
Body levels; OK, OJO, -1j-1, -3j-3, -5, tncap.
homes.
This fturie aµpars as a good-lookirig wom11r1 of
See Ars Magica p. 124 for statistics on goblins.. lndettrmimlte age, dr< eJ only in a long skirt. Since
··

ltn lop is /xlre, it is lJl5Y to nntice thal hl'r bl"t4Sls an

Wener Faeries blllCk. She /iVIS in an extremely large and productivt
fid4 whidl has two a1riousfeatures - it MJet ntttl.s
These alt' among the most powerful of lhe
to liefallow, and. a huge well-paved Roman mul runs
Numina Mani. They •1511aly l appear as old women with lip to one ed�. stops, and fl'Sl.lmts on tluo olMrside,
t'l'IOrmous hanging lips or noses, gap teeth, and spread­ Those who 11se this road, which Ui the bes I rnad for
ing posterior.i. 1hey can spin and weave any substance milts, mwst crou Lirefield or walk around it. Walking
and transform any household substance into spun gold, around it trlkl.!5 halfa day. Thuse who cross it for lhe
silver, or cascades of prcc:ious jewels. 1bey arc not first lime will be met by the Aunt-ill-the-rye. She will
egotistical, but favor mortals who speak kind words ask all adults ske meets a series ofquestions. Wamt11
when they could u!ie ugly ones. Though they Jive under will be asked about tht growing of co/Ion or fU.lx, the
faerie hills or in faerie houses, they like to visit mortals spinning of lhread,and the maldng of clolh. Mell will
and are xu• £airly frequently. Weaver faeries are the be asked about the proper care offood crops.
special patrons of infants, brides and whoever practices
Thost who answer poorly artgivOI ridicufous
the arts of Wt"aving. spinning and sewing. They are
fri1.turtS- dmik£yt.a1S. a pig's Itri/, pl fett - which
distant cousins of the Fatae.
can only be r� by a faerie or by a rilu11/ per­
Faerie Might 11 formtd by a high offiriJJI of the Church. ThOSl who
ans:wer cont.ctly arr allowed lo Pfl5S· Mtn wka an
crude or impolite lo the AunJ-in-the-rye rittitr laVt!
Numtna Agricolae - Held faeries thefitld al al/. They areinfutualtd and offered. a place
These faeries dwell in cullivak!d ficld1:1. They are at hn ,xrisonous braisl. Womell who tul lite Mme way
the closest of all low faeries to the wilderness. They are TOOUl!ded alld thrown from /he {kid. Mortals who
t'laim the fields In which they live as .i kind of wildc-r­ succl!td in imprt$ingthe fau!rie with their arniwm arid
ness which mortals may use only if they have the proper their manners will be told afu.erie sa:rtl. ?'he secrets
lulowlcdge. Thieves, the lazy, and the ignorant are are mundane but valuable - how to bnw beeT from
mercilessly treated. For careful farTl'\C'n, however, field barley sill/ks, 11lllk.efl(JWrfrom acorns, find magic stonts
faeries can be heJpful. They discourage theft, keep the illSide ofmushromns, whistle up mill or a ff(l(k rJf bird$
fields fertile, and su11ietinoes give spc.:lal information to -ansl she n�gives the 5'lme secrel twice.
mortal� of whom they iipprove. As for as lhe Aunt-1n-the-rye is concerned, nobles

Some of them have monstrous shapes, li)!;e the and ltftllgi are the same as ll"!J other mortals, only more
dog-bead«I Sicilian field guardian whose scythe-dawOO likdy lo beignrmmt. Priests are tolt!Tllttd rJn!y if lhey
can an5Wer 4// her queslions and maintain proper
4nl'l1I are long enough to reach fiom one end of the field
to the other. Some look like goats. Catching such a
respetl.
field-goat brings good luck and the promise of children; The local people believe it is bad luck to 1nention
they are among the mildest of field faeries. Others have tlw Au Ill-ill-the-rye. They will nof answer any
human shapes. questions about the field or the break ill Ihe ro�d.
Observant travellers may rwlicl! thilt only cer/n/n
Numina Agricolae can be male or fM1ale, young
ptvplt fro11l thl! village ever enJer thefield, allll llull
or old. 11\e field-women always have long hair and long
rhildrn1 au - all� rby. Thefaem i� fond of
111'12
breasts. All can change their size al will; they ate
children, and will infah«1teany who mter lhtfield.
smallest when the c:rops arc sprouting and tallest near
Tirey 11rr llNI tlWtttJ• never to tt!urn lrJ thnr fonner lives.
harvest-time. Most <:an berome insubstantial. farmers
As tlv /lunt-in -the-rye dislikes bfJth iron and religion.
who work in faerie-inhabited fields leave the last shock
standing at harvest time as a gift for th!!-field faeries.
lhefield workns neoer aury refigfu� symbols and
woril" wilh flint sickles, bone shovels 11n1I woodtn plows-

CHAPT!!D' Six.: Bestlar1 81

The field's faerie lives !here through the winter, and if
the shock Is cut down before spring. the faerie will die. The BarRbao
Faerie Might 30 FturU Mighl: 15
Siu ·2 (can lie ·5 lo +l)
Numlna Urbl••••: city faeries Ptr +1 C11tn +2
Unlike High Faeries, who live apart from Disrespectful +4
humankind, and Numina Desert6rum who shun mortal Rowdy +2
works, Numina Mani Oow faeries) kc>ep clo!lll to mortals. Bmwllng 1st +4 Alk +4 Dam +4 (brllWling-
Some low faeries have become so fond of the bustle of dnmageJ
mortal Ille that they have stayed with !heir mortals as Fal +2 Def +4 Soak +5
villages grew into towns, and towns into cities. They
have found their own ,,,.,ecial niches within urban areas Body ltotls OK, n/O, ·l, -3, -5, lnaipadlAJtd
just as other Numlna Mani do on farms. Many have Tht &n:1No apptars 115 11 litllrfal dilnJy, 1111
adopted some of the bright clothes and strange manners drrssd in red,aboul two feet WI. Hr"""· howeoo,
of mortal city-dwellers. Their adaptations go beyond shapeshift. into cu1y form, animllte or inmiimak, llp lo
appearance, however. City faeries have no difficulty sW! +1. Hr /itrc5 in Venice in lhewine alflf.r of11
with new things or customs and fear neither religion nor wmlthy mncluml. Usually he lleps b� by 1-wrnins
iron, They function no better in the wild(>mess than an info 11 sm11ll pit:a: of threaJ and working his imy
urban mortal would, and can even enler an area of up to down lhe Ml line ofgenerously proportioned /11dics,
Dominion 8 before having to return once again to less but recently h� hasfounJ a new amusement. The
severe climates. They are most often found in places new Venetian minisl�r ofpublic Wm'ks is an elderly

where cities are an ancient tradition {Italy, Greccc, ports gentlemal'I known for his pampous manners and his
in Russia), or in the oldest cities and churches. pride in a spotless rei:ord farpersrJria1 conduct. The
Numlna Urbium are very rare and growing &rabao fi'/'l.ds tlui Lord Minister l!Xtreme/y amusing,
even more so, lhough on rertain days of the year, they and fuu fa/t:en ro assuming his likeness while bei11g
will be much more rorrunon than on others. It Is very 54'1l5/Aggtring oul oft11oe11b, holding JJnimatcd
rare for them to be about all the time, for usually the coriwrsJJfiOIU with ladies of theevczins, 11ttd run·
Dominion is much too strong (e\1€11 In those special ningoffwilhout � lhe gondohi. f1Vt!, The
spots where it is not as dominant). Minister is looking for a group ofpeople willing 11nd
11ble lo discover lht identity of the imposter anJ
restore his own good Mme. The Banibao is dtlighted
Aoustabouu - JJ gretll gtmie of hide-and·seek is in s/IJl't.
These are small city faeries who like 10 ket:"p
things exdtlng. They play pranks, steal from vendors' Faerie Might: 13
crafts, pinch good-looking men, whisper sweet nothings
in the ears ol prelly women, and say all those things the Abilities:
local mortals are loo nervous to say about the! neighbor­ Glamour
hood priests, wealthy townspeople, and pompous Shapechange to Animal
offHials. All can become invisible and iraubstantial at
will.
FaerieMight: 15 Und••pe.>ple (Numina Incognltl)
Abilities; The� are very mysterious faeries. Their nature
Tnv1sibility and po�rs are largely unknown. They appear in
lnsubstantial Form human guise, but are often curiously dressed in volumi·
nous cloaks or wrappings. Each may twve a particul11r
c
mark that id nttfics them - an animal eye, ear.i of an
Numlna Eccleslae- church faeries ass, one cloven hoof, or (?Ven a tail. They appear In
strange occupations - rat catchenl, feather sellers,
These faeries vary in appearance and �mpera­ boatmen, catacomb guides. Magi and those with Fault
ment. All, however, live in churcne,.. So� church Sight will know these faeries are not human, but It is not
officials try to Ignore them. but others are glad of their clear whether they are true Numina Mani. exiled and
company. Some priests believe lhese faeries are the down-on-their-lud: High Faeries, or humans with loo
spirits of people or animals sacrificed when the founda­ much lat:rie blood to live ordinary lives. Undclf""-Ople
lion ol the church was laid.
display a wide variety of faerie powers and limitations.

82 fAEAIES! A Complete Handbook of the Seelle

 They always seem able to come and go as they please,
]ert.111y White-Tail and they may have some visionary powers; their appear­
ance to an individual or group of individuals usually
Faerie Might: 12 marks the beginning of great and strangt> adventures.
Siu -3 Per+3
Prt +3 Qik +5
Curious +5 FAERIE ANIMALS (Anlmiila
Fal O Def+l2 SoakO Phantastlca)
Body lroels: 0, -3, Incapacitated
Jermry is 11 Church Grim, 11 type ofsmall, Animala Phantastica Ferus - wild
brownit-like church �· Htappi:ar.; ll5 a t•realure creatures
svmelhirig betwem ll tiny puson and a fo:r. flt /ivts
in the bell-tuwerof1111 English church at/Mhed Jo a Certain types of wild animals are associ.atcJ
monastery. Jeremy warns of thietJtS and i1npending with the faeries or arc under their protection. Animals
disasters by loudly ringing !ht church-bells. fie 11/so whose strength, fertility, intelligence, beauty, swiftnt.'SS
fo//QWS dubious chanicters and prople who inkrest or rarity are notable arc most likely to be considered
him by lmmfomiirig himself inl1J ll sma/l silver ball touched by the faeries. Sometimes whole species of
stt with rubies. WherJ such peoplefind this ball lying natural beasts are faerie-associated- wild pigs and
on lhtfloor, they usually pocket ii, giving fi:rnrry /he cattle, foxes, hares, crows <1nd tiny l'tX' deer are among
dwrn:t lo obstroe them al his /d..�ure. Ht can as.sume them. Sometimes special individuals ilrC' known and
na other fomis. named as faerie creatu11..•s.

The White Han

Faerie Might. 43
Size +3 Cun ·1
Per +2 Stm +8
Brave +5
HAR.T Magic resistance +20
Antlers: 1st +B Atk +7 Dam +24
Hooves: 1st +8, Atk +5 Dam + 12
This rare creature is a hugt> l'C'd deer stag, white
as snow, aJw,.ys f11lly antlered and m11nOO likC'" J;on_ It
appears to thosc who have some spix:lal destiny ­
young men and women who will grow to be grt-at
rulers, travele� on a sacred quesl, �at warriors before
their final battles. It can appear to as many or as ft'w
observers as it likes. This mystic beast can move with­
out sound or scent and can outrun the swiftest horses.
The Hart usually appears either to lead someone to a
special object, person or place, or to lead someone away
from impending disaster, and sometimes it appears
simply as an OITl('n. The White Hart <•nly appears in
fon?Sled country. It is consider!'.:! sacred by Christians
and pagans alike.

ChlllJn.qhams
Faerie Might: 5
Size+3 Stm tlO
Pcr+2
Cunning +l
Bravery +5
Soak +16

CHAPTER SIX: Bestiary ''

 These huge, slab-sided cattle have roamed the Les Chevaux cfYs
faerW forests for longer lhan anyone can reme111ber. These- are the horses of the faertesof the Cha1cau
'f'hese cattle are the only ones of their kind known to d'Ys. They are large, aristocratic animals, silvl!I' in color,
mortal§- each is entirely white, 5'1.Ve for a red nose and with blue eyes. Well·traveled adventurers will recog-.
ears. l'he herd is 100 by a single king, who leads and nize these horses as Arabian in appearanre. They have
keeps other bulls from the oows unlil he is deposed by
the special virtue of being able to carry their riders
another. The ct1ottlecannot be approached or driven by across land and water alike. Faeries and mortals who
human beings; a cow will kill her calf if ii has been
ride them can move through water at normal traveling
touched by human hands. Cows from domestic herds spet'd and cannot drown while mounted on or touching
who are bred with the white bulls produce super1or the horse. Those mortals with Faerie Sight can see the
calves which give twice lhe usual amount of milk or sire horses playing amid the foam in the waves at the shore
twice the usual number of offspring. Since the Chilling­
of the lake. Beneath the waler lies the Chateau d'Ys. a
hilms cannot be approached direct ly, a number of faerie castle inhabiled by Sidhe of the See:lie Court. A
ingenious methods have been invented by s..>rfs to lady of the Chateau can sometUI.5 be seen abroad on
iemponrily introduce their stock to the while bulls. The
the land riding on such a horse, carrying a hawk and
white cattle are also used to iest the quality of any
asking passers-by if lhey can help her find her way
domestic stock; the animal in question will be lied out in ho�.
the park, a.nd inferior animals will be kill1.>d by the herd.
Some say these "stock tests" are actually sacrifices. Faerie Mighl: 14
No one knows the origin of the white cattle.
Many belleve they are a lost faerie herd or the remnant
of the stock of the departed Tuathii de Danann. The skin
Herbae Phantaslicae -
of a white bull or row is worth 3 points of Animiil vis. faerie plants
They are never allowed to be slaughtered, however. a
local legl.'.'nd says that the white cattle will kill any These plants are commonly found in faerie
invading force that reaches Otillingham., and their places and more rarely in common countryside. Some
powers of protection are uni\•ersally believed. are mortal plants that have been enchanted by faeries to
create a new type of planL

Anlmila Pbantastlca Dami - domestic Truffles

animals Truffles are i11L-gular black masses which grow
benea,th the earth, springing mysteriously out of t�
Faeries, like mortals, have domestic animals. roots of certain oak trees. Their rich flavor and magical
Faeri!! horses, dogs, cattle, pigs and other creatures are pmpertll.'.'s ma.kc them worth their weight in gold to bolh
known to exist. Those f(l.erie5 who llv!! dose by murtals gourmet cooks and interested magi.
are most likely to have the normal sorts of animals,
whi1!! wilderness faeries, if they have domestic animals Each truffle-tree has its own special spirit called
al all, will care for the wild creatures of the area, Some a truffle-gnome. The truffleg11ome is an earth faerie
of 1hedrpdis, for instance, herd and milk deer. which lives only In the parttcularly lmpres.sive old oak
trees where truffles are found. Like most earth faeries,
Domestic faerie animals can be idenli fied by truffle gnomes are jealous of lheir treasure, and carel�
lhe:ir unusual size (large or small), ooloring. and bchav· digging or truffle thefts are likely to arouse their ire.
lor- All faerie stock will follow faeries in preference IO Truffle-hunters who ask permission before digging.
humans, and will return to faerie art><Js unless actively however, are usually allowed to ply their !rade undjg..
prevented from doing so. Faerie horses are usually turbed (though trained pigs or dogs do the actual
white or black, originate in the sea, and are very danger­ digging, just in case). Those who respect the forest and
ous to those mortals who would try to ride them, Faerie
honor the oaks may be rewarded by the accidenlal
catile are usually whitl.'.' with red ears, dun {pale brown), discovery of a truffle poking through the soil, or even by
or spotted. They are ext1t:11ocly strong, fertile and a glimp!le of the truffle-gnome itself, herding its band of
healthy, and can be distinguished from mor1al catile by tiny black swine.
the fact that their ears are round rather than pointed.
Trufne-gnornes look mud\ like truffles them­
Faerie dogs are usually white with red, green or black
ears. Unlike faerie horses and cattle, which are superior selves; strong. squat and black, with incredibly wrinkled
to mortal breed:> in every way, faerie dogs, like their
horny skin. They are roughly human in shape, though
master5, grow less powerful the further thl?y go from not always quite symmetrical in appearanre. Their eyes
are tiny and dtepset, and their seflSC of smell is uncan­
Arcadia. Faerie pigs are small, white, and can point out
symbols on rune sticks to prophe5f or tell fortunes. nily a«urate. The s� of the truffles on a tree is a good

.. f'AERle5: A Complete Handbooll: of the Seelle

indicator of the gnomes' size. Tiny truffles mean a Earthstar
gnome not more than a couple of feet high, while the
fabled oaks which produce truffles the size of a human These huge, fleshy, cream-to--pale-brown objects
head would be tenanted by gnomes as lall as human are found only in the richest soil - fertile fields and
beings. Since a gnome two feet tall is said to be as strong deep woodlands. They look like neither plants nor
u a grown man, people are careful about collecting animals. Their flesh has the appearance and texture of
truffles, especiallybig ones. II� said lhat a truffte­ human skin, but their form is like a great star or five-­
gnome knows the location of every lniffle-bearing tree poinlEd flower, containing in the renter a smooth hollow
tn llS forest, but making it reveal this information is not sphere. Two stories of earthstarsare lOld. The first is
unlike making a leprechaun tell the hiding place of its that they are the fruits of the earth itself. When fully
gold. The gnomes' only known weaknessrs are for fine ripe, the central sphere splits open to reveal a faerie
old oak tre·•and quality swine, which they breed atld child. These infants quickly grow strong enough to
judge as humans do horses or hounds. wander 11way into the wilderness, but occasionally
The truffles themselves are somewhat similar to strange infants or children are found by mortals in a
mushrooms, and grow completely covered by earth. locaJ wood or meadow and raised in the human world.
They must be found by their tantalizing scent, by magic, The other tale told of carth!Hars concerns !heir
or by foDowlng a truffle-gnome. To a noble's cook, they value as food. Prope1ly prepared, earthstar is thrice as
are worth anywhere from 1 /5 their weight to their full nourishing as any other food. Travelers who carry
weight in gold, depending on the market and the quality earthstar among their rations losi:' 2 fewer fatigue levels
of the truffle. To a magwi, eadi truffle is worth 2 points from travel every day than those who do not. Pemsant
of Creo vis per Inch in diarncter. women wha are ban-en often eat fresh earlhstar raw to
induce pregnancy, and any woman of child·bearingage
who eats fresh, raw earthstar will become pregnant on a
Destroylnlf An\lel 6+ (simple die roll). The children of such pregnandes

Thi5 mushroom Is uncommon but not nre. II is

arc sometimes very unusual, but most of them are either
about four inches !all, pure white with a scarlet cap and romplerely normal or look normal enough Ill keep
a pale cup, like a flower bud, where lhe stalk rises from women out there looking for earthstar. One pound of
the earth.. Eating a single mushroom will cause madness earthstar contains 2 points of Creo vis.
lltld death, yet many insist this is the most potent of the
charms which allows mortals a glimpse of the faerie Paerle Rlnl[s
world. It is said that those who swallow the Destroying
Angel and do not die are gtven the virtue ol Faerie In sunny places wheie the ground is not dis­
Vbloru;. Enhanced, they can not only see and converse turbed, rings of field mushrooms often spring up. These
with lhe inhabitants of faerie realms, but can also tings are said to be the dancing floors of small Numina
understand their wayr.i ait no other mortals can. Like 0Csert6rum, who hold parties inside on moonlit nights.
many faerie gifts. it is difficult to separate the gift of the Entering a faerie ring is like crossing a barrier into
Dcstroymg Angel ho111 its cur.ie. Some say a smaller Arc.adia. While the true landscape of Arcadia is not
dose will bring the beneficial effects, but few arc sure p1csenl within the ring, it is an area w:itha Faerie Allfil
what dose is proper. Others say the gift only comes of 3 and a spiritual oonn('(tion with the faerie land.
from Destroying Angel found in faerie forests and all What's more, lime often passes differently inside and
others are pure poison. Many non--Hmnetic magi use outside the ring. Mortals who enter the ring while
the Destroying Angel to create special spells and po-­ faeries are still present may not leave without the
tions, but the Order of Hermes has not found a way to pe111rission of the faeries who use it, or until the next
harness its power directly. Each perfect specimen of the cock crows. The area within the ring, when faeries are
Destroying Angel has one point of dther Mentem, p1esuot, Is protected by a Magic Rcsistalll'e o( 25.
Jmiigonem, or Perdo vis. The type is not know until the
mushroom is analyzed by a magus. a faerie, or someone
with the Faerie Vi3iona virtue. Stlnkhoms
To determine the amount of 11 non-lethal dosie of Stlnkhoms grow in unexp;"Clt-d places where the
Detroying Angel. make a sbm roll Chirurgy + Int of g1ound has tice11 turned and af'pear ofll:>n on dung
9+. A botch means the character thinks it's non·lethal. heaps. They have a more than casual resemblance to a
Ingesting a lethal dose requires a stress Stamina roll of human phallus, stink profusely, and attract hoards of
9+ or death, Ingesting a non-lethal dose or surviving a tllcs. Faeries who are troublesome but not truly mali­
lelhal dOSl' giYC$ the characlt't" the Fauie Visions virtue, cious often create numbers of them around churches and
the houses and fields of farmeB who have offended
them on nights of the gTeat pagan festivals. Each pound

CilAPTEll Six: Bestiary 85

of stinkhom contains I point of Oro vis. Grogs are not Lore + Tnt ). U the mistletoe cVCT touches the earth or
especially happy about this source of Crro VIS, however. any base substanre, 1hr- dryas disappears and its power
as they are usually the ones who must gather it. Magi is lost
are not happy about the way stinkhoms ripen into black
sllmeunlesi; picked young and quickly dried.
Mandrake

Cypresses This tcnn usually refers to the root of the

mandrake plant, a low, fleshy herb that grows hidden in
These tall, narrov.: unmistakable dark ever· damp shady places. It is rarely found anywhere on
greens grow in wastelands whert'Ver the weather is ground trodden by llving feet. Mandrake can be found
warm year round. They are faerie trees which possess a in faerie forests and at places where a human life hu
limited power to move in the p1csence of human bcings. bee11 taken. The root is a tiny oopy of a humao being, It
Anyone slccping within 15 feet of a cypress will attnct is capable of movcmenl and bleeds if cut. To be ••s:d,
lls mobile roots. They poke through the ground and the root must be pulled whole at mldnight on a night
touch the head of the sleeper, winding gently around when the moon is full and the plant will always scream
ears or hair. Some cyp1• sesare benign. A &11)1.'per in when pulled. The �am is equiva!C'llt to a level 45
contact with one ma.y experience prophetic dreams, gain Perdo C6Jponml spell. All who hear it will die; lheonly
knowledge as if !he tree had bcei1 magically spoken defenses are Parmt14! Magicse or deainess. The spell's
with, or even awaken with additional memories or ran� is 15 paces in anydift'('tion. Animals within the
knowledge from others who had previously slept range who hear the scream go mad.
beneath the lree. Malevolent cypresses steal from those There is a chance thal the root will break (simple
who sleep beneath them. Memories are Josi, nightmares die + Str of9+). The piece of root pulled has 4 points of
arc experienced, sleepers may awaken in confusion C6rporem vis and no other powers. A whole root has 4
knowing neither where nor who they arc. Stories have points of C6rporem vis (or every fragment or shaving
been told of travell.'l"S in curscd forests finding bodies taken. An average root has about lwenty shavings. The
whose skulls are l'lltirely empty except for a tangle of damage from a shaving can be healed with 2 points of
cypress mots. An individual tree may be moil.'VOlt'nt or Vim vis or a pint of blood from a warm-blooded animal.
benign. dept:ndlng upo11 how it is treated. Benign Theoretically, if th!? root is fed for every shaving taken. a
cyp1CS5CS IJ'C often used by local p.!Qple as oracles, and whole mandrake can supply an infinite quantity of
malevolertt ones are known and avoided. C6rpomn tris. However, shaving the root injures ii, so
only one shaving can be taken per day, even if lhe
Mistletoe damage ls healed. If the root is maintained whole, it can
be used like mi�tlctoe in divination. Sine€ the root
These dark giec11, glossy plants spring mysteri­ writhes its answers, only a trained diviner can Interpret
ously from lhe highest branches of trees. Like truffles, them (see mistletoe divination above).
the presence of mistletoe is a sign that the tree is inhatJ. Alternately, a whole root can be made Into a
lted by faeries. The waxy white bt'iries of mistletoe are homUTl(uius, but only lf it has not already been used for
worth one point of Herbam vis each, and can be plucked another purpose. Making a homunculus requires a
without affecting the plant Cuttings of the mistletoe person with the alchemy talent or a magus with a Muto
itself arc worth 3 points of Oro vis. Unless the cutter C6rporem lab total of 20 or above. A pint of blood must
has bt't'it given permission by the faeries, howtver", be taken rrom the person ta whom the homunculus will
cutting mistletoe a.rouses their anger - the cutting can belong. and 4 points of Vim Vis are required. A finished
root itseU in the body of anyone who touches the cut homunculus closely rcse1nbles the blood donor, and is
end, or any prep.a.ration made with the cutting may tum the � of the original mandrake root (Size -4). It can
oul lo be a deadly poison. speak, move, and do anything else a human being lts
Tht'!'C Is an elaborate ritual for the taking of size oould do. II has Faerie Sight, can detect and
mistletoe which is still remembe1ed in a few places. The analyze magic by sight, and can see in the dark as well
ritual must be performed at night, when the moon is as a cat. Its flesh Is deadly poison; any animal which
full. TN:- mistletoe must not touch the earth or any base even mouths It is Instantly paralyzed, Homuncull have
substance- usually utensils and containers of precious Fanie Lore, and knowledge of magic equivalent to level
metal are used. If the ritual is correctly pcrfornv;.>d, lhe 20 in all forms and techniqu� known by the blood
ramesare pacified and the tree's dryas is contained donor. They cannot casl spells. howeVl't. They will
within the cut piece of mistletoe. If treated well, the teach magic or give advice on any subject if asked, but
dryas may answer questions and give faerie knowledge. their advice is only as good as they want ii kl be, and
This is done through movements of the mistletoe, whicl'I they will not offer II without compensation. They have
are lnte•pit-tt<d by a trainl.'d diviner {simple die+ Faerie an innate p:.111ianent magic resistance equivalent to a

86 FAERIES: A Complete Handbooil of the Seelle

 level 45 PG""" M�, which they can aJso bestow on Toadstools
anyone they are touching at will. This ls not additive
with standard Pannat Milgicae. HomU11culi can double This term covers a wide variety of inedible
the quantity of roinage which is in physical contact with mushrooms. Faeries, particularly t� smaller, less
them overnight. Homunculi are f1ce willed beings who human-like woodland faeries, are often found near
will do as they please. Their vegetable nature means places where toadstool:s grow abundantly. They may
they are not subject to Mentem spells, and their faerie use lhe toadslOQis for food or shelter, or nurse them into
Sight renders them immune to deception by lmigonem faerie rings. Alternately, abundant toadst<10ls may
spells. They have individual personalities, and may simply be a measure of the strange fl'l'tillty of the faerte­
demand pay11<e1t1 for their services in the form of inhabired rounlry.
information, additional privileges, services from !he Hedge witches sometimes use toadstools to
humans, or fresh blood. acquire familiar �animals.N which may be faerie animals
All mandrake roots have innate magic resistance or small fal!ries in an animal guise. The formula for
equivalent to ParmaMtigiCll 45, although only homuncull acquiring such a creature Involves picking a toadstool
can shape !his power with others who are touching found in a faerie wood. The person desiring the creature
them. All mandrake rools can move, though homunculi waits motionless, holding the toadstool in an out­
arc more adept at walking. Roots have at least a rudi­ stretC'hed hand until something arrives to Investigate. If
mentary intelligence, and raw roots and homunculi alikl' the creatu.l't' which arrives takes the toadstool from the
will att�pt to overcome any banicr to wreak horrible per.;on's hand and eats it, ii has accepted the offtt and
revenge on lh05C who havl! mistreated th� The will become the person's familiar animal. The creature
ChW't'.h has ambivalent feelings about mandrakes. At which arrives is said lo resemble in appearan('(' and
best, they are soulless travesties of individual hum.an personality the toadstool which is used- a round
beings or strange fat'rie magics. At worst, there are toadstool might bring a door mouse or turtle, a black
priests who believe mandrake is only found In the toadstool will summon a black cm1.ture, and a vl'l}'
po!!SeSSion of diaboll9ts. poisonous toadstool will bring a malicious faerie. The
crealures which anive may l't'St;'mble normal animals
(mice, rats, crows. etc.), sltange CJl'atures (tiny deer,
Sea Foam roosters with fiery tails), or small �mi-human faeries. It
Thi' .5ubstanre is very oocaslonitlly found in is agtced that the supplicant must be favored by lhe
faerie woods after nocturnal high winds or on the sea faeries and remain compll'!ely motionless or no crt>ature
after storms. It appears as a finely-divided snow-white will arrive. Once the creature has aoceptcd the toad­
object, rm11bling a lichen or a mass of branching roraJ, stool, it is that person's familiar from then on. The
but very solt and cool tu the touch. It is 11aid to be either unfortunate person who atlracts a bad-tempered or
the foam which falls from the horses the! faeries ride, or a prank-playing creature must learn to live with it. The
kind of faerie plant which springs up from such foalJL creature always appears to be quite intelligent and has a
Each mass is worth 1 point of Crea ttis. Hedge witches mind of its own. lt confonns to the rules for magical
and hca� can brew it into a broth which cures cllshot animal companions, but has the addL'<i advantag"E of
and other faerie CUl'5ei. Furie Sight.

Inily Caps Dodder

These small pallid mushrooms are somewhat Dodder is one of the deadliest of faerie plants. It
common, and like stinkhorns ripen lnto noxious black is known as the strangler, a tlny, colorless thread which
ooze. They are poisonous if eaten, though few would steals the life Crom growing things. Dodd� reSE••"bles
ever think of trying a taste. A persistent rumor states grape tendrils, but is pale and grows close to the ground,
that demonologists use inky caps to 51.1mmon black making it almost invisible. The faeries c.an send it on its
imps. The Order of Hermes suspects that these sm;:ill, blind quest for food, winding it around the prized
ill-lem.pered, mischlevousblKk "demons" may actually garden, arbor, or young tree whose owner boask>d too
be a kind of malicious faerie. The dcmonologists' ritual loudly or angered the faeries. Ona: the dodder has
would then be another example of the ritual for acquir­ touched a green plant, it breaks ils conn('('tion to the
ing a toadstool faerie. The black ocher of inky caps can ground and becomes a sort of climbing wonn, growing
be distilled into a type of ink, which provides 1 point of slowly up its host. It is said that the most powerful of
Perdo vis if used to scribe a spell. facri<'S can make a dodder which Sl'E'ks quicker food­
cattle, hmses, or a sleeping man. A whole dodder,
which must be unwound from the ground or peeled
carefully from a host, is worth 2 points of Pcrdo uis.

CltAP'tl:R Six: Bestiary 87

 Ergol ls always poisonous to human beings,
EJ'llot
although faeries give it to their half-bleed children to
Al!O known e jack-ift.the..rye, ergot Is both a give them Faerie Aun and Faerk SigbL A good atme­
faerie and a f.aele plant. Few people have ever seen its mist can distill agot. The ergot 1rsed must come straight
faerie shape, a tiny, tiny man with g1a:JS flowers for hair &01n the grain hel!ld, not from flour or t'OOkeci food . One
who hides in the heads of growing grain. Not many OUllCe' of e1got "seed," distilled, yields a dear liquid

have seen Its other form. strange purple seeds ln the containing 3 points of lmligonem vis and a black powder
place of kernels in the ripe grain head, but many have containing 3 pointaof Perdo vis. Hali an acre of infected
felt its effects. Those who eat the faerie fiesh ln flour or grain will yield an ounce of eigot "seed," but cultivation
bread or porridge are seized with faerie madness. ­ of or traffic in ergot in any grain-growing area is a
visions, elfshot (sudden paralysis), terror and death. serious crime.
Millers careless enough to allow jack-in-the-rye into
their flour have be 11 put to death and fa1111e1s whose
blighted crops show his touch have bee•• banished from
their villages. Those few who sumve the lasle of this
bread are usually marked with the £aerie touch - a dead
and useless limb, madness, nightmares or occasionally
faerie Sight.

'

-�··

'

••• ••
\11,,'(i
.

88 fAl!Rres1 A Complete: Handbooli of the Seelle

 Chapter Seven: faerie
Characters
Roleplaylnll faeries
In a campaign which focuses on faeries and faerie areas, or 1n any campaign
where players desire an unusual change' of pace, the question of
playing faeries may arise. Playing a full-bloodl.'<i faerit:' who has
always brerl a faerie is not 11.'C't•mmend�>d. simply 1.X'cauS(' faeries
can be so mentally different from mortals. Simil<1rly, playing a faerie
magus ls strictly forbidden bet:ause such a cha.racier would be much
too powerful. For players wishing lo play faerirs, tl1ere arc two
options. The simplest option Is playing ii companion or a magus
who has faerie blood whlch is unll5u<1lly pure (� Expanded Faerie
Blood Rules), and the other is to play a Faerie Companion,
Playing someone with the +2 Virtue F.ierie Blood is nol
'

\
'I the same as playing a Faerie Companion. The fonTM?T is St>meonc ·�·h0 l5 considered a
'I
mortal (by all but the most prejudict'\:l people), while the latter can mor.:o truly bc Gilled a
faerie. The boundary between these two lYJJeS of pL'Ople is n('t necessarily crystal clear,
but generally mortals with Faerie Blood have only subdued f<lcrie char<lcteristics. Faerie
Companions, on the other hand, are basically faeries v.·ho ha\·c adaptC1.i 10 living \'.ithin
mortal society.

I. ..
. The faerie Companion PC
I
There arc many diffen•nt ways a f<1crie could ha\•e bl'cn scn�1tiz10"d enough to
mortaJ ways to survive and even thrive in the mc>rl"I •vorld. The Faenl' Companion may
have once been hum.an and has become a faerie, or �rhaps w�s a faerie child who 1vas
raised by humans. There are many stories of people either bt'ing kidnapped by faeries or
wandering into Arcadia and be-coming faC'f'ies, e:ithl'T by eating faerie il'•Qd, by faerie
cnchanlmcnlS, or by simply slaying too long in ,\rcadia. Thcrc a� atS<l many striries of
human infants kidnapped by faeMes and rcplacl'd by a faerie child. Tl1e advantage of
characters like these is they will have the ability and desire t(I inLeracl with humans and
the ability to be comfortable in Arcadia.

CHAPTER SEVEN: Faerie Characters ''

 It must be noted that Faerie Companions are Since faerie characters are either faeries raised among
quite powerful, and should be regarded as an alternative humans, or humans who have been hlnV!d into faeries,
to playing a magus. (Editor's nole: If you utilize the they may leave I� faerie areas and travel freely in the
troupe style of play, sorreone playing a magus and a mortal realm, due lo their connecl:ion with humanity. In
Faerie Companion wou1d have two very powerful addition, areas of Divine power affect such characters
characters. If the other players are playing a companlon less than other faeries because faerie characters have at
;md a magus each, it may be more equ itable for the least some small connection to the Dominion. In game
person playing the Faerie Companion 11) play another terms, divine power negatively affects faerie characters
companion rather than a magus.) just as it afft'cts magi, not as it affects other faeries.
Remember, too, that while such characters are (Faerie Companions use the Magic column of the Power
quite potent when compared to ;m ordinary human, Interaction Chari, page 73 of Ars Magica, not the Faerie
they are of only moderate pawer whi..>n compared to the column.) Other powers affect faerie characters nonnally.
host of faerie. Fal'rie Companions a.re mow powerful
than the normal range or hobgoblins, brownies, and
Innate Abilities
other Numina Mani, but they are much less powerful
than a lord of the Daoine Sidhe. Due to the strange strength of their mystical
blood, Faerie C.Ompanlons innately have powers consid­
ered to be extraordinary in the mortal world. Their
Creating tbe faerie connection with the power of nature allows them to heal
rapidly, recovering 1 body level per day automatically.
Companion PC This same bond with the living world around them
.iutomatically gives th{'fl1 the Virtue Ways of the Woode
(at no cost to the player - � Ars Magi ca, page 22).
A F.1erir Companion's basic characteristics are
generated the same way any other characb.>r's are. As Faerie Companions certainly view the world
they are companions, the player may choose any age through different eyes; Faerie Eyes. The Virtues faerlr
within l"C'illlQn appropriate for their cha.tarter. although Eyes and filerie Sight are also innate abilities (again, no
what exactly is within reason for a faerie charack'r is left cost to the player- 5C'I! page 93).
up to the troupe and the Sloryguide. Chamcteristks are
rolled and chosc!n just like a normal companion's are. Nole: The innate herie Eyrs of Faerie Companions giw
(See pages 15-17 in Ars Magica.) Before choosing them -3 PRS. If they wish. rhe may take the +1
Virtues and Flaws, players need to examine the innate Faerie Virtue, ''NomW'' Faerie Eyes. and avoid thl'
abilities of Faerie Companions and choose a limitation PRS penalty.
with regards t(l iron. ln addition, Lhere arc a number of
Virtues and Flaws only open to Faerie Companions and
those with Fauir Blood whlch are listed at the C'nd of Faerie Co111pa11ions innately have a Milglc
this chapter. Resistal\C(' of +15 which is incompatible with a Parma
Magica (they're nol l'Umulativc). They do not age or
Probably the most patent and interesting
berome ill, and they will not die unless killed.
characteristic of Faerie Companions is their ability to use
fattle Powus. These powers are simply very Ii miled
forms of faerie magic and should be selected after the Llmitations
character'!i Virtul'S and Flaws have been derided upon.
E.ach Faerie Companion 1eceives a base of four Faerie All Faerie Companions must take ollt' of the fi r.1t
Power Points with whkh !he Faerie Power.; listed on three iron limitations (page 51-52) - discomfort, vul­
pages 91-92 may be !ielected. nerability, or sensitivity. Binding is both too much and
not enough of a limitation for player characters. The
After Faerie Powers are chosen, pc'TSOMlity
traits are determined in !he usual manner. Next, abili­ extra damage from vulnerability to iron is+ t. Vulnera­
bility is the easies! limit to roleplay,si"fl(:C it meafls that
ties Ill\' chosen. Faerie characters have 55 + a simple die
you cannot touch irofl. Di!leomfort ls difficult because it
roll In cxpt.>f"fcnce points with whlch to buy iibilities.
means that your fellow party members must refrain

from usiflg iron, and sensitivity is problematic lx'cau5e

Note: Unlike 01her characters, faerie characters' experi­ you cannot attack or use your faerie powers on someone
ence points arc not ba-e:i on their age, sifl("e faeries wearing iron Cthough you may defefld yourself if they
are immortal and ageless. attack you).
Faerie characters who give their 50Jemn word
Al the end of a story, faerie charactcn n-ceive must keep i t (or dir� lhiogs may happen to them, one
the usual 2 experience points, just li ke a companion.

'' FAERIES: A Complete Handbool:t of the Seelle

possibility bcing enmity from all other faeries like the be so potent, a faerie character may bl' nearly the equal
-1 Plaw furle Enmity). of a magus. Faerie Companions may have up to 4 points
or these powers. Most of these powers require no rolls
lo use. When applicable, the fonn, !cchnique, and level
Virtues and Flaws equivalents are given for pu 1yoses oJ milgically affecting
or dispelling these abilities.
Faerie Companions choose Virtues and Aaws
just like magi and companions, and may have up to +7
Virtues balanced by -'1 m Flaws. Change: You may physically IJ"Qnsfonn yourself by
altering your appearance to thal of anything remotely
human. Deer cars, horns, and cat' s eyes are aU remotely
Note: the innatcahilitles mentioned aboYC do not count
human. You can add +1 to your normal size or decrease
toward these limits for Faerie Companions.
it by 1 or 2 points. An additional Sire point gives you +l
Soak, +1 Strand -1 Def. Reducing your Size has !he
I· low�. these alim·natured beings may not have reverw effect per Size point lost. In addition, you can
Hermetic Virtues or Flaws, since they are not magi - it change your basic body fonn so that you an" muscular
is impossible for them to use any type of magic other (+1 Str), or wacrful {+1 Dex). You ca1,not raise your
than faerie. In addition, there area few other Virtues PieSC'IKl' by more than +2 using this ability, !hough you
and Raws nol 11vailable to faerie characters. Most can lower ii as much as you wish.
tmportanay, a whole new variety of Faerie Virtues and
Flaws are Opt.'ll to Faerie Companions.
Note: With thls abilily. you may make yourself look like
someone else. To do this, roll a simple Pet roll of 6+

llnavailable Virtues and Flaws if you know the person well, 11+ if you have seen
them once or ifyou only have a picture to work
fmm.
Diabolic Upbringing, Magic Susceptibility,
Of&rur.ive to Aalm11ls, Tainted With Evil, and Demon
Cost: 2 Faerie PoWC"r Points.
Pliigued are all flaws not available to faerie characters.
The nature of faeries (being t�>tally alien from the
struggle between lhe Dominion and the Devil) pn?Venls f.ascln.ltion: This ability causes those who look al
Faerie Companions from having truly Evil Flaws, while you or listCl'I to you to � you as someone who!ll' praise
their affinity with the magic of the natural world allit'!s they desln- and who !hey are incltnco to obey (as long as
them wilh the magi( resistance of nature and it!I min· any orders or requests you make are reasonable). This
-· ability effa:ts nobles as well as commoners, though it
Latent Mystical Ability, Withstand M.1gi c, may have less effect on a noble who feels bound by
True 11.lith, Failed Apprentice, Magic Rnistance, oaths and other loyalties. This abilily ma.y not be
Wettwolf, and Guardian Angel are all Virtues not dispelled by magic, but ils effects on a particular person
aV11ilable to faerie characters. A faerie's power comes may be dispelled (ReMe 25). This ability need not be
from natural magic, not the codified strucrnre of Her­ used all of the time.
metic theory. The strength of this power precludes their Cost: 1 Faerie PowP.r Point.
connection wilh infttnal (werewolves) or divine
beings both assuredly unfaerie-like.
Flight: You can ny as filSI as a galloping horse. You
fly by causing an objecl to fly and ride o" it. There are
Common flaw two possible options for objects you can ride on. The
first are plant materlals such as brooms, saw-horses or
The-I Aaw Disfigured is very common for
bundld of sticks. The second are animals such as
faerie characters, and can rencct the fact that many
horses, deer, or any other animal � enough for you 10
faeries have animal features, unusual eyes, or other
phy5ica1 differenc:es from a human physique.
ride. You may only chose one of thesetwo options
during dlaracler creation. You may only fly al night,
and you must roll 9+ (on a Sl«!ss roll plus your Stml or
be forced to land if you n y over a church or within
earshot of a ringing church bell {on a botch you fall out
Faerie Powers of the air). {ReHe 25),{ReAn 25/.

Like their breth�n of lhc faerie realm, Faerie Cost: 2 Faerie Power Points.
Companions have powerful mystical abilities. They can

CHAPTER SEVEN1 faerie Characters 91

 Glamour: With this ability you can: create an Cost. 4 Faerie Power Points.
ima�, and the appiopriatesounds of an object; aeature
a per.;tin up to the size ofa hoJSC and rider (siz.e +2); or
change the Ima� and sounds of any one thing, includ­
Shapt> cltmge: You may take thi.> form of .:iny
a11imal at will.
ing living lhings, up to the size of a horse and rider {siz.e
+2). Tiie glamour ls broken if it is shown to be false. For Cost: 2 Faerie Power Points.
instance, a person trying to touch a glamour of a tree
would show it to be fal5e, or a dog which had a glamour Speak with Anim�s: You can speak with all
of a rock cast on it and ran away would show !Mt manner of anlma\51 bul these communications cannot be
glamour to be false. You may casl a glamour on your­ understood by onlookers.
self, but as with similar abilities, you cannot raise your
Presence by more than 2 points, though you may lower
It down IO a Prs of -5. 1'hi5 ability may be dispelled by Note: All animals will respect you, a11d will probably be
magic. If not dispelled, it lasts until the �I sunrise or well disposed to you due to your innatt.' Way of the
sunset, whichever is sooner. (Crim 25, Mulm 25} Woodti ability.
Cost: 1 Filerie Power Point.
Cost: 1 Fame Power Point.
Heallng: For a cost of one fatigue level, you may
heal one body level in yourself or another by louch. The Transformation: You may transform any small
recipient must make a stress roll on Stm of 3+ to benefit. object, plant or animal into another form. Common
You can also cure diseases by touch in the same fashion. examples include: gold into coal, jewels into n'lice,
Cost: t Faerie Power Point. leaves i11to money, water into wine, etc. Nothing larger
than a suit of clothes may be transformed (up to a load
of2l. The raJlge of the transformation ls touch only, and
Improved Chatactttistic:: +4 ill added to any single laslll until the ne:w;t sunrise or sunset, whichever Is
characteristic of your choice. It may be taken only once, 50011er. ll\C transformation may be dispelled by magic
but !his may be used on a characteristic which aln.oady (MuAn 15, MuAg 15, MuHe 15, MuTe 15).
has a positive value.
Cost: 2 Faerie Power Points.
Cust: I Paerie Power Poi11t.

Very Tough: Add •7 to all your Sook rolls.

Invl1lbllity: You can become completely invisible at
Cost: 1 Paerie t•c1wer Poi11t.
will, and may perform a11y desired action, Including
combat whilC' invisible. While invisible, you will still
cast a reflection in a mirror. (Pelm 35)
Cost: 2 Faerie Power Points.
Characters with Faerie
Lord of tht> Wild Forest: You can commnnicate Blood
with a.JI mal\fler of anima1s aJld planls. TileSC! 00J1versa­
tions can110t be understood by onlookers. In addition, Most characters who h.ive f.-ierie blood will
the animals arc transfunned inlo flawless speciml'nS of simply have I.he +2 Virtue .is d�•ibed in An M.gic&
their iype,givlng them +3 to their strongesl feature {a {pa� 20). However. in some exceptional mortals, faerie
hawk's vision, a horse's speed, etc.) and causing the blood will run especially strong and pure. bi addition to
animals to become brave and confident. Plants am the benefits already described in. Ars M.lgic.i for faerie
empowC'red with limited movem(.'nt - small branchC'S blood, these unusual characters will have extra special
can whip at targets to distract them or knock things from
abilities a11d limitations. For these characters, Faerie
their grasp. Long grasses an.d undergrowth can grow up Blood will still only count as a +2 Virtue, but its cxacl
to twice thclr normal size, and can attempt to hip parameters must be chosen by the character. Charac1ers
poople. Dl'.!x rolls of6+ to 9+ are needed ro avoid falling who have Faerie Blood may choose Faerie FJ;iws and
depe11di11g on the speed the person is moving and the then choose Faerie Virtues whose total balances out the
thickness of the vegetation. This ability also cauxs Faerie Flaws chOSl"n. These characters may 11ot have
normal wild animals and plants to view you as their more than the +7/-7 poinls of Virtues and Raws includ­
natural leader, aJld they will obey all reasoNble re­ iJlg the Faerie Virtues and Faerie Aaws and the Faerie
Blood Virtue. Nol oounti11g Fa•rie Blood, all Faerie
quests. This ability functions as long as you concentrate,
but will noc work 011 domestic plartts or anlma.ls. IMuAn Virtues must be balanood by Faerie Flaws and vice
IS, ReAn 15, ReHe 15) ......

•• fAi:A:1es: A Complete Handbooll of lhe Seelle

 ability has no cost if you have inhuman eyes -<at's
bempli GralW- Aelfgar chooses furit Blood eyes, eyes like grey pebbles, or white eyes flecked will1
as 11 +2 VlrtUI!, 11mf tht Fiwie Virli« Hamimn1l1tt
color and devoid of iris orpupil al"I' all common. Inhu·
man eyes give you a -3 Prs to ordiruiry mortals (wizards
+5. Sht balances tht Faerie Virtue with the Faerie
Flaws VM/nnability ta Iron -3 a11d SJ1Sceptible to and faeries don't mind). Fa!'rie Companions autofl'liltl­
Divi11e Power -2. To rou11d oul hrr Flaws, she ca\ly receive inhuman faerie Eyes ; if they select this+ I
lakes Sm•ll Fr- -2. Therefo�. slit has +5/·5 Virtue, of course, their ey15 then look ''normal'' {no Pr§
Faerie Virtues tud f/Jtwg,and +7/·7 ooerall Virtues peMlryl.
and F/RWS, the marimu111 allowed.
Faerie Sight: This is the same as Second Sight <Ars
Magica, page 41), ex�pt that you arc automatically
specialized g
in !ief:'ing faeries and faerie thin s. Both
Weapons and Armor Second Sight and Faerie Sight can Sl'E' through faerie
illusioru; on a 12+. This Virtue is aulomalic for Faerie
So� faerie and part faerie player characters Companions as a Virtue +O (no cosI).
mey want to use melal weapons and armor. Sin<'<'
normal iron cannot be used by faerie folk, there are two
options: bronze and faerie iron. Aniinal Kl.'n: The character may have this e:icccp­
tional ability as printed in Ars Magica (page 40).
Brome has two disadvantages over iron; it is
weaker and it Is more expensiVl' and therefore harder to
obtain. AU bronze weapons do one point Jess damage Faerie Friend: You have a house basilisc as your
than normal iron or steel ones. Bronze armor functions compani11n. This Cl'('ll ture is small, fully sentient, and
as follows (There is- no bronze chain mail): C'an speak if it chooses. It will have one or more minor
magical powers and will aid its owner. Howev�, hou�c

Protection
g
basiliscs often steal and brin the loot to their owner:;.

TYf" Cuirass Hauberk Full

rung 3 6 1
&al• 4 8 "'" """
Plate 8 12 not used

The load for bronze armor is the same as for

steel armor of lhe same lype.

Faerie Iron is very rare, and is. available only to

"'4ra"c•te•••s who are Faerie Companions. Faerie iron
weapons do one point more damage than normal iron
weapons. Faerie iron armor gives one point of e:ictra
protection.

faerie Virtues and flaws

Only characters who are Faerie Companions or
those with the Virtue Faede Blood may choose faerie
Virtues and Flaws.

Virtues: +t
Faerie Eyes allow )'llU to see normally in deep
at
wot'Cis or night. Your eyes will be unusually bright in
color and will ft'flect light, like a cat's. It is a +1 Virtue to
have Faerie Eyes which look ''normal,� though they will
usually be an unusual color such as bright g1een. This

CHAPTER SEVEN: faerie Characters 93

Anyone who is known to have a house baSt1iv automati· Standard Equipment of Faerie Iron: All of your
cally has a level 2 bad reputation as being dishonest. See equipment whiC"h normally would be manufactured
the house basiliscdmiption for more detalls. If you with iron has been constructed out of faerie iron instead.
choose to have a snake-like house basilisc (which do not This Virtue ls only open to Faerie Companions and not
steal), il is a +2 Virtue and carriC'S with it no bad reputa­ to characters with Faerie Blood.
tion.

Superior Equipment of Bronze Manufacture: All of

Standm:I Equipment of Btonze Manufactutt: All your equipment which norma1ly would have iron parts
of yourequip:t1L-z1t which normally would have iron utilizes bronze in itfi. construction instead, thereby being
parts utilius bron7.e in ils construction instead, the1eby less inimical to your nature. Your 11rrnamcnb> ;md your
being Jess inimica:I to your nature. annor can be of the expensive type. (See Ars Magia,
pages 58--59.)

Virtues +2
Virtue: +4
GlilD\our. The power lo change your appearance.
On a roll of 9+, you can change your appearance to lhat Superior Equipment Cone piece) of Faerie Iron: All
of anything which loo"ks even remotely human.. This i
of your equ pment which normaUy would be manufac­
change includes voice, sounds and ao::outrements 5UCh tured with Iron has ba:11 oonstnJcted out of faerie iron
as clothing and weapons. This ability creates only inslt'ild. One piece of your equipment (a single weapon
images and sounds, not reality. To imitate a :;pecific or your armor) may be of the expensive variety. (See
person, a roll of 12+ is required. Once used, the glamour Ars Magica pages 58-59). This Virtue is only open to
lasts until sunri!le or sunset. Note: With this ability, you Faerie Companions and not to charat•tcrs with Faerie
can lowcr your Prs a!I far as you like, but you can only Blood.
raise ii by up to 2 points. {Mulm 20) Specialties; faeries,
men, women, nobles. peil!!Onls (Int).
Virtues: +s
He&ling: For a oost of I fatigue level, you may heal Homu.nC"Ulus: You are the "owMr," or perhaps the
one body level in yourself or in someone you touch. 1be servant, of an animate mandrake. It has all the abilitiC"s
recipient must make a stress Stm roll of 3+ to benefit of animate mandrakes described under Faerie Plants,
from this healing. You can also cure disease> by touch in and it is reasonably well-disposed toward you, providt>d
the same fashion. that you treat it well. This is a +4 Virtue for a normal
Magus.. Note: Animall.' mandrakes can teach magic. A
very few people with the gift find e5eapcd or naturally
Suptricir EqW.pmll!l\t (an� pltoc�) of Bn>I\U
occurring animate mandrakes and arc taught magic by
Manufacture: All ol your equipment which norm.tlly
them.. lf you are such a "Mandrake Magus," your
would have iron parts utilius bronze in its oonstruction
character is generated as a normal Magus except you
instead, thereby being less inimical to your nalun!'. One
cannot read or scribe Latin, you know no Hennes lore or
pil.'<'t" nf your equipment (a single weapon or your
Hermes history, and you have a level 2 bad reputation
annor) may be of the expensive.' variety. (See Ats
among magi for being a hedge wizard. You are auto­
Magica pages 58--59).
matically a member of House Ex Miscellanm (see the
Order of Hennes supplemt'nt). It is a +2 Virtue to be a
Vlnue: +3 "Mandrake Magus" if you still have the animate man-­
dr.ike, and a -2 Flaw to be such a magus if the mandrake
faerie Flight:. You can fly as fast as a galloping left or was dest1oyed. See the entry of Mandrakes (page
hof5C. To fly, you must suixeed in a roll of 9+. You fly 86, in Chapter VI, under faerie plan ts) for more details.
by causing an object like a broom, saw horse, or bundle
of sticks to fly and ride it. You C'annot fly on your own.
Superior Equipment of Faerie Iron: All of your
You cannot make living things fly. You can oontlnue
equipment which normally would be manufaC"tured
flying for as long as you can maintain your ooncentra·
with iron has bc.>en oonstmcled out of faerie iron instead.
tlon, up to 11 maximum of half an hour. You can only fly
Your armamellts and your armor ca11 be of the expe11Sive
at night, and if you fly over a church or are flying within
earshot of a ringing church bell. you must make a stress
type. (See An Magic:a,. pages58-59.) This Virtue is only
roll of9+ {minus the Divine power of lhe church) or be
open to Faerie Companions and not !() characters with
Faerie Blood.
fon:ed to land. {ReHe 25) Specialties: during stonns,
over water, under moonlight (Stml.

.. fAElllES: A Complete ffandboolr of the Seelle

•

CnAPTER SeVENi Faerte Characters 95

 lack of faith and your impure (from the Church's poinl
Flaw: ·I
of view) na� drives you away from holy items. You
Strong fay Nature: The blood of the fay is so strong cannot use any Faerie Powers on people bearing itnnJ

in you that you feel the full effects of Divine power on blr--:i by the Church (iocense. water, hosts, possibly a
your Faerie Powt:T. Instead of using th<!- Magic wlumn crudfix or cross) nor can you use any Faerie PC1wers
or the Power lnl'eraction Chart <An Magka page 73), while on con5Ccrat«I grouflds (churches and cemek'r­
you must use the Faerie column, with its harsher effects ies).
by Divine and Infernal powers. Magical areas a1so aid
you.less, bul you do get greater bonuses In a Faerie
Aum. Flaw: -3
Vulnerability to Iron: The touch of iron bums you.
You take no actual damage from jusl touching iron, but
Flaws� �2 it hurts.. You cannol uM? iron weapons or tools where
Minor Discomfort &om Iron: You are uncomfort­ you musl touch the iron, and you cannot wear iron
able touching things made from iron. Touching iron will armor. In addition, iron weapons do +2 damage to you.
not hann you; it is just something that does nol feel Also, your faerie blood ls so strong that your blood
good. You arc at -3 to use any iron weapon or tool if probably does no! look like human blood. It might look
you have lo touch the iron to use it. like black ichor or while wine ar whatever, be creative.
If you have this Flaw, you cannot pick the background
Aaw of poor equipment. Cannot be taken ii the ·2 Flaw,
E:umpli grtltia- to use a sword or o pair of
Minor Discomfort from Iron, is taken. This Flilw Is only
blacl:smitli'B �.one must touch the iron; lo use
open to characters with the Faerie Blood Virtue, and not
an iron-headed arrow or spear, tme does not. /11
to Faerie Companions.
addition. you are al -2 on your fatigi<r letld if yor1
weiir iron armor.
Flaw: -4
Cannot be taken if the -3 Raw, Vulnttablllty to
VulnenbOlty to the Dominion: Your lack of
Iron, is taken.. This flaw is only open to characlc:rs with
agreeabilil:y with mortal religion is so great that you ft't'l
the Furie Blood Virtue, and not to Faerie Companions.
the full effects of religion upon you as a full-blooded
faerie does. {See pag-es 52-53.) This is very dangerou!I,
Suueptible to Divine Power:: Your tie to the mortal as you will be dissipated if you enter ronsec1ated

world, esp«ially the mortal religious world, is so weak ground {unless you make a stress roll +Stm of 15+, in
lhat you are very vulnerable to the power of the Domin­ which case you only lo!il' three body levels each ro11nd
ion. The touch of Holy Water, sacramental incense, or a you remain on 0011socraled ground).
crucifix hurts you, and actually bums your skin if it
remains there for afly longer than a few seconds. Your

•• FAERIES: A Complete Handboob of the SeeUe

;,; Chapter Eight: A Faerie Tale
The Pool of Nylasaira

Introduction for the Players

Three weeks ago, you set out from your covenant to find
and punish the m11gus Cicrines. When he and som!'.' of lh<.> PC
magi were appn:nticl·s, he viciously insulLOO thl'm, their covenant,
and the Houses Ill which the wizards bclt1ng. He would have
been taught a lesson then, but he was under the tutelagc Llf d
poW<'l'ful master who protected him. NOl'I' that he has ne111l y
become a magus in his own right, the bittcmess the group has
harbored toward him over the years will finally be <icled upon.
You set out to find him in tht>mountains to th(' southwest, whcl'l' he was said n_1
be travelling, but you have found no trace of him. Your party is demoralized, ond now
you face the prospect of returning to the covenant empty-handed, with nothing to shQw
for your effons, having wasted weeks of your time, not to mention supplit•s of fiitid a11d
silver.
'rhis moming you caml' oul of the wilderness to the small lo,,.,'n that the inhabi­
tants call Bcl!aloc, when:: you have bought provisions for the trip home. You intend tn
spcnd the night in what pass.cs for an inn, and then so:>t out for h(Jme on the morrow.
But who knows, maybe you will happen across Cierincs (ln tht' way back, or
maybe you will find someihiog else of iotcrest to sht>""" once you ha''" returned ltl your
cov�'nant.

{Editor's note: This short adventure is most appropriately set after the characters h.a\'C
sought revenge on an enemy, even perhaps deservedly so. This theme make� the
most sense when the characters can compare the vengeance of the g:( hlins and
i

Grellan to the grudges they themsc.•lves hold. The short intr1>duction is c>nc idea for
an appropriate lead.in to this story.)

CHAPTEC! ElClHT: The Pool of Nylasalra 97

 is staying in a large private home whose owner lodges
Summary travelers who might come by. The prices are rea50nableo,
though the service is wanting and the company is rather
Baell.ground and the action ''off. crude. The large front room serves ;is the sleeping
�····· quarters for lodgers, and a oolleclion of tressel tables in
This tale is being told as if II these events the courtyard serves as the local ''watering hole.'' Two
occured in the Pyrenees Mount.iins which lie between oak bc-s stand in the middle of the courtyard, and a
Iberia and Fnnce. However, a tale like this certainly number of grape vines hang from the trellis that shields
cou.ld take place in any lsolakd, mystical valley a magus the tables from the sun. 11 is poss.Ible for a character to
might stumble across. reach up and pick a grape From the vif'I(' (howeVt'f' the
grapes are not yet ripe and are still very sour).
Tucked away in one or I.he many vaJI� of the
The characters aw relaxing in the courtyard
watem Pyw11ecs is an enchanted ponl in which lives
Nytasalra, a waler nympha with haling powen. when tlw.> story begins.
Disoovering the locatio n of her pool is the goal of the
adventure This noble nalas will heal people ol various
afflictions, but they must perform some task for her in Grellan the Blind
exchange. She has a dark slsler, S)'fCUSl.J, who occasion­
Ten years ago, Gn'llan was a tough, young
ally lurks near the pool to scare off or slay people lo
mercenary. One night he wound up on the wrong side
keep them l'rom finding it.
of a brawl and was beaten ;ind then blinded by the
While the character5 are traveling to the pool, a captain of the guard In Toulouse {or any city somewhere
small troupe of gobtins comes to Nylasalra in hopes of within 300 miles of the pool). Though forced to beg for
healing their chieftain. He is too proud to accept a task his food, he never has lost hope ol 1!-Xocting vengeance:
ln exchange for healing, but he brings a bag or magical on Pere, the man who blinded him. First, however, he
rocks as a gift. Nylasaira refuse5 him, since he will not had to recover his sight. Over the years, he kept his ears
pc:.tform a task she aska of him, and he and his group open to any information that could help him out, and he
must leave. An ink!mal conOict breaks out among the once made a pilgrimage to a gmtto where miracles were
gobUns, and SOml? of them flee, but still wait around the said to occur, bu t there was no luck for a man as ob­
general area, consoling thcm!IClves with fantasies of sessed with vengeance as he. Now he has pieced
revenge. together disparate bits of news about a healing spring in
Meanwhile, Grellm, a blind beggar, who has the mountains, and over the ye;irs he has traveled this
heard incomplete rumors of the pool, has come to the far. He is currently in a town near wherll' the healing
small town of BellaJoe. He is hoping to find someone spring is said to be. wa iting six months for i;omeone who
who can escort him through � wilde111ess to the pool, can take him there.
where he hopes lo have his sight restored. When he hears the character.;, he can !ell some-­
how that they an' special people. remaps he hears the
clink of armor. the magi's Latin words or thedifferenl
What the characters do... ,

tone with which othefS addms them. He approaches

The characler.I, while on an unrelated excursion, the111 as best he can and asks who they a:re, and evC'fltu ­

meet Grell.an and are 11sk.ed to accompany him to the ally ilSks for their aid.
pool. They meet the renegade goblins, and can join If the players are acting skittish, don't hesitate to
furces with them if they wish. They then face Syrcusta intervene and �encourage'' the1n to take Grellan up on
and the remaining goblins before finding the pool. his request.

Theme Grellan's Approach

The theme of the story is revenge. Play it up in
every facet ol the story, and encourage the playe-s to ''Excu::;e me sirs,u Grell an S<1ys, intem.Lpting
talk about it and roleplay it out. Have the players use whatever the charactm's may be doing. ''Though I
revenge in their characterization and character interac­ ;:ippearbui a lowly beggar, I am iti truth a brave warrior,
tions it will make the game session that much better.
- and I have bl�sed news for thoi;e stout-hearted enough
to act upon it. I gather that you may be such people.''
He tries lo get the charactc!'!o intcn>sted in him.
The Inn and if this tactic doesn't work, he appeals 10 their pity.
Once he has enough of their attenti(1n f1ir a serious
The hamlet of BallaJoe, isolated as ll is in the
ronversation, he tells them this;
height! of Pyr�oees, has lill1e need for an inn. The party

•• PA.l!Rlis: A Complece Handbook of the SeeUe

 ''Though my eyes have fclt the blade of an evil The fourth stream from the pass leads to
man, my ears are sharp, and I have heard many secrets Nylasaira's spring. If the characten scout each stream in
told when men thought nothing of speaking in the tum, it will take them several days to find the spring, the
presence of a lowly beggar. Over the long years, I have exact length of time depending on the efficirncy with
which they scout
pitud thesr clues together, and have learned the
w hoeabouts of a marvelous spring that b1ittgs healing Once the charactm have found the right stttam,
to aU who visit it and drink from its waters. Much lo my they will encounter the �de goblins (see below).
dismay, it lies in lhe mountains wt.ue the timid will not During the entire trip, Grellan proves to be a
tread, and that is why 1 am looking for those not afraid disag1aable rompanion. He brags of former mil itary
of the sound9 heard in the mountain nights. If you will adventures, vo'W!l loudly to avenge himself on the man
guard me, I will guide you, and together we will arrive who blinded him, whenever he has difficulties traveling,
at the marvelous spring. How docs this offer ple.ast' you, and he complains about the player-character.; when
myl ords?" possible. Play this role carefully, malting Grellan
He is despe1ate to fmd lhe spring and will plead obnoxious enough to bea rest of the characters' patience
If need be, but he will not reveal where it lies, lest the (csp«iaUy the grogs, who prub<lbly have bel>fi assigned
characters go there without hlm. If the characters agree. w tend him), yet not so obnoxious that he is slain or left
he will encourage them to 5el out at onre. to die in the wilderness.
You may want to let the characters encounter
the monster (a lwo-headed fired.rake) rumored to be in
TravelUn1t with Grellan the mountains while they arc i;earching the streams.
Crellan gives Instructions for each stage of the
journey. First, head !IOUth for the pass just east of the
highest mountain visible from the town, which takes
The Rene1tade Goblins
two days of hiking through the woods, because Grellan As the characters travel up the stream toward
travels slowly. (It will take less time if they purchase a Nylasaira's spring. they cncoW'lter a small band of
mounl for him to ride, but the only mount available in goblins. If only a few chatacters are there scouting the
Ballaloc is an old nag with a sagging back.) At the pass, stream, try lo get the group together again before they
Grellan tells the group to head for the pass just west of interact with lhe gobUns so everyone can gel in on the
lhe mountains that present the outline of a man lying on roleplaying. For lnstan�, lhe SCOUl5 might spot the
his back. (The characlers need a little imagination to see goblins without being seen themselves and return lo the
this image. Can for Pem?plion rolls.) Crossing the rest of the group with the.' news.
intervening valley and reaching the �ss takes two more
Hall the characters arc together, they should
days. The pass Is the head of a Jong. mostly straight
make Per rolls. Anyooc who rolls a number equal to or
valley heading southeast, and somt>where in that valley,
higher than the number of characters in the group spob
says Grellan, is the healing spring.
the goblins. If no one makes lhe roll, lhe goblins have
At this pa.!IS, Grcllan beromt>S quiet and nervous heard the characters coming and hidden. CThat's why
because he is about to give the characters aU the remain­ it's harder lo spot them i( you·re in a larger group.)
ing information he has about the spring. Up till this
The goblins are on the far side of the stream,
point, the C"Mracters needed him for the knowledge on1y
which is about three yards wide and cub a gully
he had. Now he realizes he will be a useless burden to
through the ground. This distance gi ves both parties a
them, and he is afraid of being abandoned. But, having
little breathing room and should make everyone more
no choice, he tells them what he knows. If he thinks that
the characters may abandon him, he lies and rells them
willing to parley than immediately slrike out in self­
defense The gobl ins are !Rtting on the edge of the gully
.
that only he knows the magic words you must say over
eating raw trout which they have caught by hand in the
the pool before drinking from it, and he refuses to say
stream and a.re talk.Ing about their plans to kill their
these words until h(' is at the pool.
former leader.
If the goblins are spotted, ii is up to the charac·
All Grellan knows is that the spring is at the ters to decide what to do. If lhcy charge across the
headwaters of one of the streams that feed the river stream, that will give the goblins plenty of warning to
running down lhe valley, away from the pass, and he escape into the trees. The only way lo surprise the
expects the characters to semh each such stream for lhe goblins ls with spells and missiles, and after one volley,
spring. The magi, however, may hllw some better way the surviving goblins will retreat into the woods. If the
IO find the spring. (A spontaneous E.eVt"I 10 Jnlilkgv
characters follow. they will be at a disadvantage versus
Atfuam spcll could detect the magical traces in the stream the fleet-footed goblins who are fighting on familiar
lhat oomes from Nylasaira's spring.) terrain. The goblins will dart among the trees and easily

CHAPTER EIGHT: The Pool of Nylasalra 99

evade most largt"r folks. The goblins will try to get the the stream to shake hands and sea1 the agioo1w:t :11 lf
characteis to separate 50 they will be .able lo leap out of they don't bust each other much, they may walk to­
hiding, slab the humans, and then retreat as quickly as wards each other slowly, ready to dive for cover at any
possible. The struck character will only be able lo strike moment. Going down the three foot drop Into the gully
back if he or shec.an make a Qik - Enc roll of 9+. The will be dangerous, since it makes retreat more difficult,
only sane alternative for the characters is to group up for 50 Griznickle will watch the character and descaid

safety and let tre goblins escape. The gobliru; will likely simultaneously with him or her. rather than going first
be able lo get away any time they please if the battle and possibly being trapped. Build up the tension as the
turns against them. char11cter and the goblin approach each other. When
If the characters choose to talk when they spot they finally shake hands, the goblins in hiding will let
lhe goblins, however, the goblins will first dart behind out a shou� of joy and spring oul into the open, over·
bushes and bees and then cautiously �ply. U lhe joyed at the prospect of killing their former chieftain..
characters do no1 see the goblins, the goblins will call uut Out of happiness and generosity, they make
lo thl'm from hiding. Any hostility seen in the charaC"" their newftmnd allies a peaa.> offering � fllh·hems.
lers will cause the goblins to quickly retreat lo safety. The goblins then lead the characters further upstream to
The goblins a� very interested in getting where the chieftain lies. As they hike, the goblins plan
mortaJs on their side of the fight. Whl'n faeries {includ­ lurid and exaggerated ways to kill their chieftain and
ing goblins) fight, the wounds they give and receive heal make use of his corpse. Think of them as big talking.
quickly, generally within a day. With a mortal in the swaggering. ugly, olive-gn.-en skinned little boys, with a
battle, however, the wounds ll11.' more serious and do taste for the grotesque. Rolcplay out their bravado, sick
not heal quickly. With the mortal presence in the fight, sense of humor, and ugly laughs. They truly delight in
the gobllna can actually inflict harsh damage and more the p1ospcct of killing and torturing their former leader,
easily slay their opponents. Since these goblins want to and seem to pay no heed lo the idea that they could
get vengeance on their funner leader, they are willing to actually die in the battle.
risk greater wounds themselves in order 10 deliver molt' You can play the goblin.shumorou!lly If you
grievous wounds lo their enemies. They will tell I.he wish. They are dark, or at least dusky, faeries, but this
characters this, bul their explanations may come up doesn't mean they are all bad. Here is the chance for the
somewhat garbled. characters to learn this lesson. Remember to play out
"Hail, mort!lls," the leader of this band says by the revenge theme.
way of greeting. He shows just his head from around
the b-ee in which he is. hiding. "Powerful warriors you
k'em to be. With steel at your sides, no? No doubt Syrc:usta Strikes
tromping ilround in the woods looking for something lo
As the characrers aro hiking upstream, the dark
slay, in true hero way. Well, I am Griznlcltle, and I have
faerie Syrcvsta sees them and tries to drive them away.
a meager proposition for you."
The characters first see her when she flies out from
He then explains thal he knows the location of ii
between 5011\C ba.-'S and sp�eds through the party
wounded goblin chiefUin who has a sack full of
screaming and wailing. Then she makes M.>veral more
tm1glc.i.l le;1.ves. � valuable 10 mortals, no doubt. And passes through the group. trying some her more flashy
wouldn't the mortals like lo help some unjustly treated but less. damaging attacks. On later passes, she will try
faerie-folk (the goblins themselves) get righteous venge-.
to concentrate on thoS(> that seem most rcarful or mady
ance against the "son of a priest'' who did the injustice? to flee, working on the group's weakest Jinks.
("Son of a p1iest" is a curse for goblins.) In short, the
Syrcusta makes several passes through the
goblins ask the characlefS if they would like to help
them attack the camp where theit" old leader is. He is
group. She ro;irs through the party, screaming and
perhapi launching some kind of attack. 'The chara,oct�-�•
grievously wounded and can't pul up ii fight himself,
and with blades of steel it should be an easy battle. ln have a moment's pea«' to yell orders, coordinate, and
return, the characters w!U have 1hc goblins' aid and the
find cover (give them, at most, a minut('); tl1en she
returns, screaming and striking out once again. This
treasure that the chieftain has with him. (Magi should
rerognize "magk' l�vcs" as raw vis at least and maybe
group,
tactic should di.srupt the as they only have a
moment at a time to recover from each att;l('k.
90ll\ething more.)
it's up to the characters to decide whether they GrelLm. screams in fear and falls to th"' ground.

lf\lst the goblin$ and want to work wlth them. If they do

tenibly frightened of this thing he C4IIIJ\Ot see In the
.

mo�t of peace between the faerie's attacks, he

not, \he goblins wlll 1et1eat into the woods. If they agree
screams out "What ls it? What is it? For the love ofGod
lo work together, Gr!znlckle and the lt.-ader or speaker of
save mel" He will only be (lilcnt if someone guards him
the player-character group will meet In the middle of
closely and tells him to be quiet.

100 PAt!RlfS: A Complete Handbooli! of the See.He

 The goblins, if they are with the party, scatter ground. What the rebel goblins don't know is that
through the woods; Syrcusta doosn'l bother with them. Syrcusia will aid the goblins in their battle, making the
They return silently once the danger is over. odds more even.
She will leave when she has beci1 wounded and The camp is a simple collection of bedrolls and
driven off or when the players seem bored of her attacks packs scattercd in a wooded area (not in a clearing,
(i.e. she has decided that the characte1s are not about to human-style). The goblins are waiting behind busheos
flee). When she leaves, she goes lo Mic1ge11, lhl' goblin and trees in the area, and Micrgcn is hidden undu a
chieftain, to prepare a more serious defense. bush that has been cut down and laid on top of him. He
is holding the bag of magic leaves The rebel goblins
.

encourage the characters to charge in. Crellan asks to be

Mler11en and his Goblins left behind so he is not in danger. "And come back to
get me when the fight is over." he says, half command·
After Syn:usta leaves. the charactc1s can con­ ing and half pleading.
tinue their trek upstream. Ahead of them is a small
If the chara<:ter:s did not join-up with the n"bc-1
goblin encampment, the one from which the rebel
goblins, there may be a chance to do some more rolc­
goblins noo.
playing rather than fighting here. However, Miergcn's
The leader of the goblins, Miergen, is badly group will be very suspicious, as thl>y have been told by
wounded. He and his group came to Nylasaira for Syn:usta that tl'le!le humans intend to steal their magical
healing. only to have their gift of magic leaves spumed leavt>S. During a verbal exchange between the players
by the nafas. Before the ch.tract� arrive, Syrcusta has and Micrgcn, Syrcusta and/or the rebel goblins may
told the goblins of the coming mortals, so they are seize any opportune moment to attack and draw every·
prepared for battle. Though the best goblin tactic in the one into combat.
fight would be to scatter and harass the attackers, in this
The goblins will fight fiercely, killing their
battle, they arc protecting their chief and must hold !heir
opponents if they can, but once wounded with iron,
•

North
CHAPTER EIGHT: The Pool of Nylasaira 101
lhcir morale will drop. In a light spot, they will nee and 1be pool is three yards acn>55, circled with
J�ve their chief lo his coming fate. Syrcusta will attack large, smooth, moss-roveit:d stones. Out of the pool
Ihose who seem lo be giving lhe goblins the most runs the stream. Behind the pool ls an eight-fool high
trouble, perhaps the magi. The rebel goblins will scroam cliff with a small watufall pouring down past a a.vt
unintelligible curses and launch themselves at their opening into the water below. The waterfall comes from
enemies, but they still don'I have lhe guts to stick It out a stream fed by a spring a mile furth('I' up the mountain.
if they're being badly wounded. (Don't take time to roll A single small willow hangs over the pool. The pool Is
uut fights between goblins; fudge it, or let some of the very deep, but the cave is a sh.art, dilmp, dead end
players nm these goblins if they wish.) (unless you have some other ideas... ).
Half-eaten fish, gobli n droppings, gn.-asy Grellan is tremendously e)[citcd; he shakes
bedrolls and such litlt'r the area of the fight, and the visibly. "ls this It? Is this the pool? Take me thete!
trees and underb1u sh are relatively thick here, so two Take me!" Whl!n he comes to the edge of the pool, he
extra bokh rolls are called for throughout the battle. stoops to drink, but nothing happens. (He doesn't know
{Imagine the expression on a proud warrior's face wht'fl that it is Nylasalra who does the actual healing.)
he slips on a fish-head.) Then the water begins to move as Nylasa.ira
The advantage of iron and discipline should \ct swiffi!i to the surface. When she surlaa?S, Creilan hears
the chara.cla's triumph over the goblins, and Syrcusta her, backs awo.y, and yells in (car, "What's that? What's
will give up when the goblins fall or flee. Perhaps the happening?" Before the characters have much chance to
only enemy leh will be Miergen himself. settle Grellan, Nylasaira speaks.
The rebel goblins know Miergen's here and can Welcome, mortals, lo the pool of Nylasaira.
sniff him out. Al fl.TSt he yells to the mortals "Please,
,
What brings you to my waters?
here ls a bag of magic leaves of wondroU5 faerie power.
She ellplalns that she can heal tho� who are
They're yours if you save me from these traitorous wounded or ill, but that each person so healed mus\
enemle$ ol mine." U this offer is scorned, he screams
fa.ilhfully perform a deed for her. Grell an quickly
and g.merally ca11ies on in an ignoble mauner when
capturat. You know goblins. They thank the characters
agt:ees, and Nylasai..a bids him come to the water's cdgt'.
Then she grabs ahold of him and pulls him underwater.
for their help, hand over the magic: leaves thal are with
If the characters watch, they can � the two figures
Miergcn, and lake their captive off with them for some
come together in the blue, obscured by Nylasa.ira's
goblin meniment. The characters probably don't want
flowing hair.
to watch.
After a minute of silence, Grr."llart's motionless
The magic: leaves are In a leather bag (human·
body is thrown onto the side of the pool. He is com­
skin leather, if you must knowJ. 1bere are twenty-three
pletely without signs of life, but 11.fter §('\•era! seconds. he
large, purplish oak leaVt."!I that glisten in light. Euh is
coughs up some water and revives. He can see once
worth a pawn (1 point) of Temam vis.
more. U questioned, he will say that Nyla&aira has
Aller the battle, one of the rebel gObUns may asked him to perform a task for h('J', but he has a certain
wish to leam more of mortal w.iys, and he could join the captain of the guard to see to first. He waits around.
Saga as a companion, if somoone wants to run him. expecting company back to the village where the charac­
Pl'rhaps lilll' was originally of mortal blood and yeams ters met him. He will not speak of how he was healed .
to discover more about their kind. This ls left to your
Aftt'r a short while, Nylasaira surfaces and asks
best judgmen l.
if there are others to be healed. U !oO, St"t' the notes about
When lhe fighting has quieted down, Crellan her curing magie.
yells from where he wu left and asks. that someone
If a player-character is healed, Nylasaira will Ask
come and get him. He is� eager to keep searching
him or her to tell the minstrel named Ot of Barcelona
for the healing pool.
that he is still welcome at the Green Duchess's midnight
revels. This might be difficult as the minstrel is dead,
,

The Heallnl! Pool of though Nylasalra and the character.> do not know lhis.
If more than one character is healed, you may invent
Nylasalra similar tasks. Performing the 1asks is beyond the scope
of this story.
Just a few dozen paces upstream of the goblin Before lhe character.; leave, Nylasaira takes a
camp is the magical pool the party has bee11 searching specW interest in any wizards. She can sc11SC something
for. First they will hea:r the gentle sound of water strange about them (their magical gifts) and wants to
pouring into a pool, and then they will see a clearing "heal" them. To her, their magical abilities and training
through the trres. At last, they will come into a clearing are a more grievous affliction than wounds or blindness.
and see the pool. She will pick out a particular magus and 5.lf:

••• fAERrns: A Complete: Handbooll of the Seelle

 Oh, bt yuu, myfrim', you havt cl dtep wound clS well. She wails in her pool for those in need of healing.
Ami't you longing far htfzling likt yaur friend WA!? Occasionally other f� romc lo her and tdl her Iha!
Wouldn'I you like tv�Mriled. c1S lit v.w? Comt lo mt, and I they need tasks performed, especially those that faeries
s1vin fr« yow ofyour burdm. would hitvc trouble doing themselves.
She cannot dwoibe exactly what lhe "affliction" Faerie Might 25
Is since she has neva- scot It before, but she pleads to let lnt+1 Sizc -1
her heal the magus. She even goes so far as to offer to
heal the ''wound"' without requiring a task Jn return. Compassionate +4 vs. Heartless 0
CHer hear1 is going out lo lhls poor mortal.) She can Fat 0 Def +2 Soak 0-
dcoc1ibe the affiiction in fearsome but vague 1enns. " Double damage from iron &: steel.
It is a deep wound, sinking lo your very core. Body Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated
II must touch and infect every part of your life, Power:
evm •fyou luwrgrown wstJ lo II ooer tire yeJJ.15. Healing (5 points) - When she draws a person into
If a wizard aJlows htmself or her.iclf to be her pool, she kisses him or her and fills the other's Iwigs
"healed,N he will be stripped of all hismitgic powers. with water. {It's a disturbing.. but nol frighienlng
(Qin they ever be regained'!' c.ood question....) cxperiCllC'e.) Once the kiss isovt"r, she describes the task
Uthe characlers talk to Nylasaira, she will tell that nwst be perfonned, and the other person black.$ out,
them that Syrcusta is her evil sister, bent on preventing only to awake on the edge of the pool, healed and with
people from benefiting from her healing magic. She says lungs filled with air. The healC'd person regards the
she rejected the goblins' gift because she sets her own healing act as something private and will not talk
requlrt:!ments and is not moved by independent offer­ willingly abo11t it.
ings. Besides, they had stolen the leaves from some
harmless sprites and did not deserve to benefit from Goblins
th•�
The goblins are ugly; defonned humanoids
Nylasaira tells the characters that they can standing about 4' taU. Their skin is blotchy, pimply, and
return when they rove need of hC!'. discolored; their limbs are disprop:irtionale; and their
hitit is wild and !angled Their piercing yellow eyes
show they have some intelligence despite their homely
EpllolfUe appearanre. They wear drab clothl'S crudely woven of
The characters return, possibly withGrellan, to flax, cany flashy bronze short swords, and havt>over­
Bollaloc, and from there IO Mistridge. Grellan is silent, sized boots on.
not the burden he once was now that his eyes are healed. Faerie Might 12
The pool ofNylasaira may be quite 11 boon lo Mistridge lnt-1 SW!-2
now that the magi there know of its whereabouts. Vicious +3 vs. Compassionate -5
The other, hidden, bit of information that very 1st +6 Atk +6 Dam +9
Swords:
perceptive players may glean from this encounter is the
dl.scovery of a heic-to-fon" unknown type of faerie. Fat +3 Del +8 Soak +6..
AJlhough the Order ha&tried to describe the many • -2 on Soek rolls vs. iron & strel
different kinds of fay as completely as they krlow how, Body Levels: OK. -1, -5, lnrapadtatcd
the strong diversity of the faerie folk makes tM nearly Power:
Impossible. However, a creature like Syrcusla has never
bee11 described in Hermetic writings. As the sister of Bunt of Energy (3}-- In combat, the el(lr.I energy
Nylasaira, she is also a nympha. but she is a creature of the goblin has lfansJates into a +6 bonus lh.11 it can use
the air as well. Nobody in the Order has ever linked the on lsl, Alic, Dam, or Def. The goblin may divide the +6
nymphae with the air, although it rertainly makes sense points in any way among lhe different rolls, and these
considering there are water-nymphae and bee nym­ bonuses must be assigned before any of these rolls are
phac. Any magw; of House Mcrinita certainly would be made. Simple-minded goblins tend to put all 6 polnts on
Interested to hear about Syrcusta. one roll. Goblins arc also kind of uliing thi� power when
dancing or partying.

The Creatures Encountered Syrcusta

She is a dark faerie whose form is always al least
N"S'lasalra partly ghostly rather than solid. She looks like a dark
She isa naias in the shape of a beautiful young gray wraith with glowing eyes and flowing white hair.
woman with long blond hair, full of small water plants.

CHAPTl!Q EIGHT: The Pool of Nylasalra 103

She travels by flying. usually only a few feet ilbove the anddotl\ef. The targetftelsas lfheor!lhehls bee•
ground. Shecan fly as fast ua human can run,ardshl;­ raked by fiery claws. Damage ls +8, which must be
•loes l10t Hie. aoaked without armor. Thedaws am be dodged but no1
5yrcum. deligbt:!I in using her powers against panied. (Perda C6rporm )
mortals, blll has no stomadt for combat and wiH not Grlp ofl.ife.Sudcl:ng (3)-Shean wrap herarms
_., flgbdng•pinsttlQ.lening�. arolllld a O:IUl'lal anddreln away hil orherllfe. The
Faull! Might 24 target mn only fal.I in helpless pain. Each round, he or
ft loses a fatigue leveJ and mu.st make a Sbn + Soalr roll
ltd; 0 Stze-t
of 9+ or lose abody level as well. (Pmlo C61poraw )
CM -t4 ""')(Ind -2
aaws- w +to Mk +5 0am +a
Oreflan
Patr1/1 Def-+6 Sgak +\D"' Thi&bUnd begglt <at•ler a deathp•.rdgeforthe
one who blinded him. Hli! 15 so nwntlul of his low
• See Raking Claws of Plime below. status that he does not defer and ad humbly iM I brsg1r
"Stmclt onlyby frort,stetl, 6: fire. is expa:ted to. Putting up with Grellan, for whom the
Body levels: Ok.-1, "'· ..s, &apadtated. cbanlctasaredolnga favor, will bea test Dfthecharac­
Pawen.: lenl' good.will, c6J«l•Dy if they ire used lo saving tl\OSe
who ;tte desperately grateful to them.
Grab ffa!r (1)-Shecan pull the hair rrom a
penon's he1d asifltweze.;i wig. Only magic am make
the pel'SOrt'1 bait1eg1ow. Sheuses this little trick to Age32
11 l!aerie Points. (Pmlo
scare marla1s without wdng 11'111f rnt+1 Siz O
C6tpo1-ei11 ) Voogdul +3 l'ofSlv!ng ·3
•

Ftfabtfu1 Scftedt (1) - She can put forth a scream Mean..spirited +2 - Gentle -3
that G\Uile3 fear in arumaJs and uneash!e5s Jn humans.
Upd0ae, It ewn causes pain ln lhe ears. She can con· Vhtuu
tiiwe scmamtng aa Jong u ahe lilies without expendil'lg
Sharp EJr.i (+3 lo he11b1g rolls)
mme Raerie Points. (CM Mtniem )
.....
-�8>-ahafOl!lfng Cold (1)-Bybrushing put a
.....
pa!IOl1,sbe can dilll lhem. requiring a San +Sizercll of
9+ to avoid losing a fattgue lewl. (A botch uwans a DrtviOgGoal- .. slay-
bodylevd isalso Jost.) (Pmlo 011pnon }
.••king Clawl oiPIm- (3)-She am daw IOlte Abilities:
one With agl1tstl].• hand thatgt:, rf&htthrough at1110r
Akdneu CEailJdropplngl +4

'

•' <'
'
'
I

. -
-
- -

••

... fAIUU!S= A Complete Hawfttoofl of the Scene

 Chapter Nine: A Faerie
Dream
NIGHT OF THE FAERIES

�The outer edges of the 1110011 were sluwly /urning blue, as if thi: cheese
upon it were agi11g. ft w<L> lhe night fur the party. flnd ii lruly bcl.'n ninety·
5et'en yenrs?''
&groieer saf bock on his mighty chair, 11. knotted pine res ling on ils
side, 111ul pondert:d lhePQS.-.age of timt'. Not Iha/ ii rflllly 1nallered, bu/ ii did
seem to pass in 5ome parls of the world. A smile ca1ne across his wide face, and
his belly jiggled, yes, tonight 1JJ/l5 lhe night. Aro11n,/ hitt1, Ihe {riffles of Ilie 11round made pr£'flara­
tio"5 for the revd later that evening.
"/ wonder if /he magi of Mistridge have changed fro1n their selfish, boorish urays." 11it
thought intrigued Bogemeer, for !he wizards were a strange lot not given 111 p/t!i25ure or feasts.
''The revel will go on regardless of their inlmtirm..•, b11t pEThap� lhe wizards r<>u/d be
guest5 al lhi5 feast ra/her than vicli111s. Tlllll wo11/d be some/h in:� ne".ii, f<'' /11st tinre /hey it'ITe
such poor sports."
So1ne young sprites spiraled upwards ro ,'{'feel the ri5ing 1noon, lhc s!1im1nering ,·olors of
!heir wings dancing a111ongst the moles ofslarshine.
"Wr: fru:rics bww the bes/ way lo understand an ani111a/ is lo crai�·I aro11nd i115idc its skin f•''
11 while. Maybe I should give it 11 lry. ·· He ch11ckled lo him.�clf and with a sigh of <·onlenhnen/
settled hack intv /he boughs of the tret for a mrm1ent. "/-fmn1n1, r wo11der whut ii ·would lake to
juin those wizards '" Rising lo his fut, he slrt·lc/1ed fhe sl iffr1cso fro111 his //111/15. ''Perhltps a IiIlle
trip to }11I>ie/lt' would da the Irick. ··
ITis /aught•.,ftl/Eii the night as the spnles continued lo dance antid /he gror-'e ,if lr�es.
''This pro•nises lo be a 11ight of rei,clry grcalcr thun any be_f!1re. ''

CHAPTllll NINE: Niqhl oi the faeries 105

 Synopsis
Introduction
In this story, the character.; are warned about the
The story takes place in Val du Bosque and is imminence of an enormous faerie revel which, if all
intended for use with Mistridge rovenant as detailed in accounts can be believed, is going to be held at the
An M:.gica (p. 132). However, with only a little effort, covenant and could possibly destroy it. It seems that
this story can be adapted to any ongoing Saga, since the Mistridge is built upon a site of great faerie power, being
details of the story are nol solidly tied to any specific the spot of an immense faerie relebration evcry97 years.
region. Indeed. it could be that these parties arc ivsponsible for
The story emphasiZes diplomacy and roleplay­ giving Mistridge its magical aura.
ing over combat and straight-forward tactics. This isa Somehow the c!'.\venant is warned that they
story about whimsical, good natured fun and is perfect have until the moon has turned compleh.'ly blue (there is
fora 'XSSion in which the troupe is nol in the mood for a only a blue edge at the beginning of the story) before the
more serious and involved story. Mab! sure everyone laerics will invade Misttidge. The covenant's only
in the troupe realizes that this is not a straight laced, salvation is to find the faerie prince Bogemeer and try tu
serious story, and that they are in for an �ening of light­ convince him not to hold the party at Mlstridgc (a
hearted fun. Lct them know that, if they do not suc­ difficult ta5k indeed). On the way to Javielle, lhc woup
ceed, there may be serious consequences for the cove­ runs across a traveller being tortured by some dark
nant, but that a lack of sucress could be even more fun. faeries. After a daring rescue involving some dark spells
No one should die in this story, but lhe covenant could and a hive of bees, the traveller asb to accompany the
be trashed by hundreds of faeries partying all night in it. group for safety's sake. Upon reaching Javielle, the
troupe finds the place in an uproar. The faerle5 have
taken over the town and arc fro\icki11g and causing
Settinq the Mood mischief while awaiting Lord Bogemeer's call to the
Set a frantic,nc1n-stop pace throughout the story. revelry. As the: moon becomes bluer and bluer, the
Never let your players grow bored or have time to think. party searches the town (perhaps evt'n visiting Sir
Any dme things slow down, throw 50methlng new al Guifre"s manor house oul!iide of town) for the elusive
them, either of your own invention, one of the miscella­ Bogemeer, whom it SC'CTTIS they just miss all the time.
neousencounten, or .1 lead to one or the more major Mostly good-natured fa.cries are encountered, aU
encounter5. nus feeling of excitement will accent well awaiting the call from Bogcmccr to start the revel.
!:he feeling of the night of the faerit'S. Anally, the group has 10 give up sincc they are needed
Faeries reflect the pasr.iona.te aspl'Cts of human to defend the oovmanl from the faeries' arrival. Taking
existenre - they take our emotions and go with them. the traveller they rescued back with them in hopes of
They can be outrageous, dangerous, spiteful, whlmsical, gtcaning from his knowledge of the faeries, the group
wondm-ful and wacky. Roleptay them any way which prepares for the faerie onslaught. As the moon tums
feels natural to you. but remember that this story is blue, a loud trumpeting is heard from the tower of
intended to entertain the players, not educate or frighten Mistridge and all the faeries in the v.tllcy are summoned
them. It is a spe-ial night and the faef'ies have bec1-. to the presence of our pDOT lravelk>r, otherwise known
unleashed from their forests and mounds; they roam as Lord Bogerneer. If the magi have been good lo the
about the entire valley in pe1f«t frwdom. These faeries faeries and Bogemeer in particular, they will be invited
are experiencing a whole new world, and they're having to join the revelry and no inlentional hann will be done.
fun -a heck of a lot of fun. Make sum the players On the other hand, if they have been pcx1r company, the
understand this, and roleplay It out as much as you can. faeries do their besl to tear apart the covenant and it will
The more you play out the delight and wonder of the be years (if ever) before the covenant returns to normal.
faeries, the better everything will go.

Playinl! the Faeries

Theme
The sheer variety and number of the faeries
Chaos, absolute chao$, is the true spice of life. leaving their forests and mounds lo take advantage of
Even the most serious people who have great duties and this special night is mind-boggling. It woi1\d be nigh
are engaged In great t'fldeavors must lighten up every unto impossible for us to document every faerie the
now and then. They may resist at first, but if they don't party could encoun tcr -be llmltcd only by your
loosen up, they may not like what will happen to them.
tmagination as a Storyguide. If someone asks you to
dcsciibe a faerie for which you have no deariplion,
make up something with a lot of whimsy, adding

106 fAERIES: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

human and animal parts to create an es pecially vivid Prelude
character. Anything m ytho ogical
l is ideal. Simply
roleplay out whatevCT' ftrst comes to mind. Don't During a special wizard's council, the magus
hesitate, don't think, just ID· When necessary, ct1mbat Grimgroth (or an appropriate character in your cove­
stats are given for the faeries encountered. Since the nant) tells the covenant that he has seen a blue nimbus
goal of this mission is diplomatic and roleplaying is around the moon as of late, This evening, he was on
being encouragoed rather than combat, these instances Mount 1ieme, and began to watch the moon rise. A$
are few and far between. time passed, he saw a blue tinge arourid the edges. lic
informs the magi that when the moon turns completely
Most faeties have a main power or two listed,
along with a brief physical description, motives and
blue, he thinks the faeries of the valley will march upon
Mistridge and hold a huge party there. Much of the
thoughts, and any roleplaying tips we feel are neressa'Y.
covenant would be destroyed after a f.ierie party of this
If combat ensues with any of the friendly faeries, you
magnitude. One of the older covcnant diarie refer.; to .i
will have IO improvise. Figure that most small faeries
night when the faeries held a party at Mistridge. The
have one body level, at most two, with the larger of the
faeries WE'ft" Jed by a prince named Bogemeer. The next
v
faeries having the equi alent of five or possibly even six
few pages are tom out and the next readable entry
tor the largei;t of lhe trolls. Combat stats will be lt1w for
the more hiendly fae1ies, while the dark faeries are
-
cksc1lbes lhe horrible c:lt'an up arter the faerk: revelry
(one of the faerie mishaps .ifter the party was the disap­
usually martially oriented and will thus have higher
pearance of these pages). This should get the magi to
srores in combat relJl!ed skilb.
want to seek out 'Bogemeer before he and the faeries
Bogemeer will dislike any rombat initiated by descw\d on the covenanl. One Ol' two of the magi may
the troupe with good faeries and this will weigh heavily have been young apprentices at the last revel and don't
against the covenant when the time for the party comes. remember the destruction too well. Others don't bclit>vc
Remind the the players that they are diplomats and the the slory at all. Allow the magi to make whatever pliins
prince they are look.Ing £or will not be amused by dead !hey want to try and prot:ect the cvvenant. No mattcr
"''*"'- what else they do, make sure that somehow part of 1hc
plan is going down to Val du Bosque, when the moon
starlS to tum blue, to search tor Bogemeer. Lei them
Advice to the Stomuide know somehow that the faeries start their party in the
You shouldn't attempt to have your players do sWTounding villages while they are waiting for Bogc­
everything. unless you will play this over two ro\eplay­ meer to call them.. The old magus tells the group to

ill8 sessions (or one very long one); you should pick and retum before !he moon tums completely blue, mission
choose from the various scenes. Don't bother to do it accomplished or not, to help with the defense of th...
ahead of time, but as you guide the story, use your own covenant, if the defense is possible at all.
tn
j••dg1t11e11 todcdde whot the players W01.l1d lib- do
next. Mix and mingle the various sorts of scenes so there
will be a reeling of flow and the players never get bored. On the !load
Certain players will like to do 0:1tain things (some will On lhe way to Javicllc, the characters encounter
want to talk to elves, some will want to throw trolls some faerie ruffians humiliating and beating up an older
down chimneys), make sure every player �Is a little of gentleman. As the group arrives on the scene, they St.'e a
what theywant. troupe of black hon;eman ridlngaway. The leadC'r ol th!.'
Above ii.II, keep up the action-packed nature of remaining faeries is a member of the Unseelic rourl al
this sto'Y· Don'! 'lop for anything and �p things the Moaning Oaks. The dark faeries have tied the old
moving; as soon as one scene even !>tarts to seem like it's man by his feet hu1n a tree branch and are pouring
running out of steam, have something ha-ppen which honey down his body and Into his beard. They �m to
dramatically c.anies the characters i1110 the next scene. be torturing him for the shear fun of ii, with one faerie
For each scene we provide an idea for this ''carrying threatening him with a beehive held in the air over him.
device," but it is up to you 10 make it work. just When the faerie5 see the characters, they will tC'll
remember to never give your ch;lracters time to think, lhem to bug off and mind thcir own business. 'l'hc poor
arid as soon as lhey start to do something drAmatic.. tnvel\er will beg for mercy and deliverance.. If altacked,
Make this night :seem .11s chaotic and wild as you possi­ the one faerie will lhrow the bee-hive down, releasing
bly ran -you may even want to portray that chaos in bees to attack the traveller (remember, honey attnlcts
your Storyguiding style by being arbitrary'. unsystematic
be-es in the paradigm) and the party. Smoke, water, or .1
and inconsistent - yet deny that you are. good Animtl spell should do the trick with the be-cs.
It's best to have a lot of munchies around for The other faeries will command two boars to attock the
this story, and lf you're of age, beer can't hurl either. Tt characters while they attempt to destroy the character's
can add a lot to the party flavor of the story.

CIU.PTER NlN� Nl�t of the Faeries 107

clothing, armor and weapons with Perdo Animal and meer will have to insert himself into the group in some
Herbam spells as appropriate and using Rego and Muto other way. As a last resort, he can tum invisible or
C6rporem spells to hold and mutate the characters. The become an insect, and thus enter the covenant with the
f<l<'rie ruffians will be chased off rather easily, bu11ies group when they return later. Of course, llogemeer will
being bigger in bravado than bravery. nol be at all pleased with the covenant al this point ;ind
When the characters rescue the gentleman, they he will grow more and more mischievous. In order to
will find out that he is a scholar from Folx who has an get the most enjoyment out of this story, it is essential
intense inte1t-sl in faeries and was coming to Val du that the character's take Bogemccr with them. Do
Bosque to atlempl to see a faerie revelry first hand. He everything in your power as a Storyguide to achieve this
was tricked by the faerie ruffians and the characters saw end.
the plight that got him into. When and if the characters With Bogemeer now finnly (hopefully) en.­
either reveal that they are magi or cast magical spells, trenched in the group as Martin, the party will set off
the gentleman, Martin, will fain surprise and interest. If down the rood to Javielle to search for him (ironic isn't
you haven't gues!ied by now, this gentll?mlln is really it, but that's faeries for you). TIU! encounter.I described
Boganeer, the !'aerie prtnce. He wanls to see how far the hereafter can be used in any order you find suitable.
magi have progte5sed since the last time he trashed their Some are tied to a certain location al'ld are thus encoun­
covenant, "1me 97 odd years ago. The magi back then tered when the characters investigate that location, but
lacked humor, romp;ossion al'!d a will to join In the party, most are tied only 10 the whimsiral wandering! of the
so the faeries had a good time at their expense. If the faerie!iand are thus at your be(:k <ind call wheneVt:T you
characters can convince Bogemeer, um, Martin, through feel the need for a little fun.
their actions that they have changed for the better', they
will be invited to the revelry and the covenant will not
sustain much damage. Martin will try to get the charac­ The Blue Moon
ters to ta.kt' him with them "for his own protection'' and
will promise to provide th.ml with any pertinent infor· Remembci:r that the charac1t>1s have until the
mation that he can. moon has tumed complelcly blue lo find Bogcmeer. U5e
this as a plot device to inspire worry and stress in the
party. They should get more and more desperate a5 the
Conceallnll Bogemeer's True blueness slowlycacepsacross the moon and they have
COmt' no closer lo finding the faerie prinC'E'. There is no
Nature "official" time frame for this adventure. pace it lo fill up
your allotted time, allowing as much time a5 the troupe
As the group encounters more faeries and asks
wishes for the faerie revelry. tf you wish to stop the
them where Boga:i11ere is, they will usually break OUI troupe from wasting time, de&:1ire the condition of the
laughing or some other silly thing. and then say somc­ moon and we guaranll!e that they'll be on the run before
lhing cryptic like, �Oh, he's nearer than you think"' or "1
you finish your sentence.
think he's 1¥ick the way you came a little ways"' after
which then? will be more silly laughter, dancing, et al.
Speak in puns and innuerodo. Through all this Martin
will stay at the back o! the group, wa1ching. and not
JavleUe
ca:lling any attention to himself. H ilSkN questions, he The nearest village lo Mistridge is)aviclle, the
will answer guilefully, but with a sincere voice. Martin largest village in the area, boasting � souls. II is only a
will accompany the group, watch their reactions to the mile away from Mistridge covenant, but a river cuts
fun loving faeries, and then try to get the characters to between them, and the nearest ford is three miles
take him back to the covenant with them, promising downstream For more information on Javiellc, SI?(' the
them just about anything and preying upon their Saga chapll'rof the 2nd edition An M.gia nlcs.
symp;othy for a poor stranded traveller or greed for a
The Dominion is almost completely gone from
knowledgeable scholar. If the magi take him with them the countryside except around ext1e•11ely holy locations
to therovenant, he will be able to call the revelry by
such as the slone church in Javielle and the shrine to
blowing upon his silver ham, which he will ka-p hidden Santa Fabfa, just lo the l'IOrth of iown. The Faerie Aura is
until then. The faeries will ilPf:;irat his side, most +Zin all areas where lhe Dominion us·d to hold sway.
likely right In lhe middle of the rovenant and bypassing Near the holy pl�, the aura will go from the �2 Faerie­
a.ny magical baniers and defenses the magi may have
lo +5 or +6 Dominion near the altar of the church.
""""·
Adjudicate the relevant aura as the situation arises.
If, for some reason, the party decides not lo help
this poor tr.tveller or bring him with them, then Boge-

108 f."FPIES: A Complete ffandbooll of the: Seelle

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CHAJ>TER Nme N'�bt of the faeries 1\l9

The Scenes faerie food Effects troll a stress die)
There are many different scenes you can use ln
thi5 story, we suggt-st that you pick and choose from
l &lch until sunrise ncm--stop. The n1ore
these {and make up your own); it Isn't necessary thal the
you try to stop, the more you belch
dlaractas go through each encounter. Use the ones
2 Spoik only in l!Oll11S until SUl'lrist
which strike your fancy!
3 Cry when you're happy, laugh whtn
you're tmgry, e:tc.
The VUJaile Square 4 Thiflk t!f>erytlring lifDUnJ �u ;s 11
'Ille faeries here are oul to drain the entln! llnflucination, but think /lull ha//udM
alcoholic contents of the town's '¥" air lavem. Music tions (or what-people tell yow) is riMlity
seems to drift upon the breeze and sprites danre through 5 Giggle incl'$Stlntfy
the air, the ground, and the treetops. The fun-loving 6 Can't slop talking, and even uWr1 you
fae1ies will invite the c�racters to join the bash, chal­ slop you mllke some kind ofsound
lenging them to drinking contests {a chance for the grogs
'l Tell people urournl yoz1 all ofyour
lo show offi, inviting them lo jam with them musically,
dttpest secrets al'ld gn'llltsl fr'Mrs (tlu!
and offering to swap stories. This Is a good chance tu
pklyer mil/I have lo inve>1t some. but
introduce future story lines and develop friends for the
l1!l StJOn 11S he or she does, it's prirt of the
covenant lo have among the faeries._ If nolJtlng else,
eltnracler's pusorllllity)
loosen the group up with the sheer fun of it all. Note: It
is rumored that drinking faerie beverages and eating 8 liTJS tum blue aml begin to pucker. If
faerie food ra.uses strange reactions in mortals, some­ you don't kiss something, lhey burs/,
times losing them forever to the realm of faerie. Most: of Cllusing 8+ damage. Until s11r1rist,
the food and drink the characters will encounter in you Juwe to kiss something every
Javielte is mortal, but you can never be quite so sure minule.
about anything the faeries may give you. 9 Slorl growing lerroes 11.nd if you stRy
still for too long, you take root and
b«ome a plant - al /001 until sunrisf'.
The Vlllalfe Church
10-t No effect
Father Uoreav;: is out in the church yard, chant­ Botch Go to live with lhe faeries. fer 7 ytJlr�
ing prayen and swinging an incem;e thurible as he
walks circles around the church. Trailing behind him is
a small sprite, sucking up the incense smoke as ll trails
out behind the good Father (it seuiis that the sprite is
on the door will bring a Vt'ry frightened Poul, the miller,
"smoking'' the holy incense smoke). Father Lloreru;
peeplng oul He will actually be glad to SC!C' the magi
believes that the v.izards have something to do with this
(the magi, like everyone else in this valley grt their flour
night and sees it as a fulfillment of the prophecies in tlle
from Poul's. mill). The crying comes from Poul's wife.
Book of Revelation. There are a number of the town folk
Before Poul can get a word in edgewise, she will blurt
in thechwdt, praying for the Day of Judgt!ment. The
oul that !heir youngest daughter, Alba, has bel>n missing
Father, normally very cold to the magi, will be down­
right angry, evoking God's wrath on the evll-docn and ever since these homble, strange events started to
condl!IIl.ning them before an mankind. At your option, if haPJ*''· Poul has bt>c>n too frightened to go out looking
for hN, but will implore the mlgi to search for her and
the troupe ls belligerent and bullying to Father Lo1ci1t;. a
promise them almost anything for l1is daughtet's safe
minor mirade could happi!'i1, even lhough the Dominion
is p1uu1tly wry weak in the amt. Note: the Dominion
return.
is still very strong in the church and within the circle Poul's daughter Is playing with some water
iflX'l"ibed by the Incense. This ls Father Lorent's home faeries upstream from her father's mill. Her belief in the
ground and a fight with him would probably be a faerie magic has allowed her to walk on the water and
mistake -even If a miracle did not sa� him, the the group will find her skipping merrily up the swiftly
polltiral backlash from such a fight would be immense. moving stri;>am, riding the waler like a moving carpet.
T The faerie5 are dancing around her and will §hyly dive
into the water if at all threatened. Alba will call for her
The Mill friends to come back and aclively search for them. If
If the magi go near lhe village mill, they will any adults :!IOUnd worried about her walking on the
he4it the sound of crying coming from within. A knock water or tell her that she is In a dangerous position, h"'r
faith in the faerie magic will waver in the light of adull

110 PAl!QO!S: A Complete Handbook of the Sttlle

reasoning and she will begin to sink into the water. The dusty hill goblin (a type of faerie who lives in mounds in
more she panics, the quid:el' she sinks, all the while the mountains) will swear profusely. brush himself off,
being swept towards the waterwheel and the rapids scowl at the characters, and head off after the retreating
below it. It will be incumbent upon the dtaractels at this barn-ls, saying all the while, "C.Osh Bogeml'(.'I' can throw
stage to save the ymmg giTI hom what is almosl cerlain • good party."
death. This should be an abrupt change from the
whimsical tone of the rest of the story - a break from it
if you will. This Nserious'' diversion will only accentuate The Carpenter
the whimsy of the remainder of the story. A game of ''Launch the Mountain Troll" is in
progress al the carpenter's house. The ca1p<"illtr and his
family are thankfully not home, having taken refuge in
The Smithy
the ch1,.1rch. The faeries have sel boards on some of the
A temDle acddent has happened here, terrible cooper's barrels, much lik!! a tceler-totter. A mountain
that is. for a l'aerie, for it would mean an end to an troll sib on one end of the board. Then therontestanls
otherwl9e Immortal life. It seems thal two young jump out of a nearby tree, sending the mountain troll
quicklingg were playing tag through the sbcetsof (tucked into a little ball) through the air, and, hopefully,
Javiellc when lheir meny little game led them to lhe down the carpentet'.s chimney. Eoch contestant gets five
smithy. While dodging around the furnishings in the attempts. with the most successes delermining the
smithy, a table was knocked over and a pile of scrap iron winner. The mountain trolls are very resistant to
fell upon one of the poor little faeries. With the Iron physical damage, and lheyactually like flying through
dampening the quickling's power lo move through lhc air. In fac1, it was a mountain troll who Invented the
nonliving material, the little guy Is effectively trapped game of �Launch the Mountain Troll." Betting ls going
by the Iron. His pal is frantically tryi1tg to help his on amongst the faeries present, though not for money. U
friend, but Olll't gel near the iron. Reali.zing that only a 11 character looks intere5led in participating Jn this llltle
non-faerie L'Ould free his friend, he has gone out into the game, a :thort faerie with grayish pink hair and flowers
night in seart'.h of mortals lo help. You should have the growing out ol his ears will challenge him, with the
little quicklingbuzz up to the group, run a few quick winner taking the loser's hair- all of it. The faerie's
circles around them, and then Je;id them off to the hair is worth 5 Herbam t>is. An Athletics + Per roll of 8+
smithy {think of a dog trying to get humans to come and will allow the character to realize Ihat where you jump
help Its master). Any speccl1 by lhe quickling Is unintel­ on the board will dele1111ine the leverage for propelling
ligible due to its high frequency and rapid emission, the troll skyward. The first jump will be an Athletic-s +
being beyond lhe capabilities of human hearing for the Del< ease factor of 15, with each subsequent jump
most pan. Therefore, the quick.lings will communicate reducing the ease factor by 2 until an ease faclor of 9 is
In sign language when necessary. lf the characlers free reached. If a player figures out an intelligent strategy for
the little faerie, the injured one will ht' tuo weak lu muve, playl11g tile g11111e, give t11e1n a bonu:. 1�1 tl11Cl1 rull.s
,

but will recover enough lo leave the party in an hour.

During this time, the characters can carry the little
fellow, all the while being attended by the other quick· The Reeve's Coltalfe
ling. At the Storyguide's discretion, these little friends
An old, oonish faerie hasdecided to rcdccoratr
of the covenant can show up at a lalt'r game x 'on and Joaquima the Ra-ve's house - from the outside. She
exbact the troupe f1011t some piecarious situation. has used her Faerie Power to cause the wooden house 10
sprout new branchl"S, leaves and even fruit. Al the
The Cooper moment, Joaquima's house looks a Jot like an ove1g1own
garden. Many small sprites are playing amongst the
While outside sometime near the cooper's, the vines and branches. Anyone who makes a Per+ Car­
charactci'5 will hear a rumbling naisc. Hurtling toward pentry roll of 9+ wl.11 notice that the weight of the new
them are four wooden barrels. Make the characters roll plants has weakened the walls or the house and it will
dodges to avoid being hit by the barrels. Use the collapse soon if noth.lngis done. Talking to the sprites
character's marching order and a little bit of whimsy to playing on the house will lead the characters to the old
decide who is threatened by the careening ban-els. lt crone. She will be reluctant to remove her plants, being
should be obvious to the characters that they arc just in swayed by the plt>ading of her childish charges, but can
the way of the barrels by happenstance. The barrels be reasoned with and will tidy up her jungle, leaving a
bounce off objects like btes and hou5!." roml'f'S, making neat house-top garden in its place. If the troupe can't
their Willy gene1aTiy to the other side of lhe village, the talk her out of gJ'O"fing her planls, the house will
purposed finish line. One of the ban-els could break collapse, �aving the faeries unscathed but poi<Sibly
opm on dtesi<k> of a hut at yoll!' choosing. Inside, a harming or even killing the mortals inside.

CHAPTER NINE: Ntqhl of £he faerie 111

 that will take a reasonaNe - or not so reasonable ­
Two Drun�s excuse). The twins will not reali:re who is speaking to
These- two drunks 5el.'IJ1. to have attracted a lot of them, and will treat the character with a profound lack
faC!l'ie attention, perhaps due to the fact that they are so of'' peel. They may refuse to even speak unless the
drunk that they don't believe anything that they see. characters get something for them, like another flavored
Since thcir "hallucinations" haven't gone away, they've
decided to make the most of them and have some fun. The procession will wind through the V?llage to
They're dancing and singing songs with about twenty the open air tavern. There, the coronation wiU take
faeries as they travel from the tavern to their homes, place, with crowns of ivy being placed on the new
wherever those are. Of coursc, they worft believe that nobility's heads. Thereaher, court will be held in the
the magi are real either and will laugh at, make job-$ taVEm, with any grlevanees betng brought before King
about, push around, and otherwise abuse the different Marius. If the characters do serious harm to the faeries,
characters in the party, not for an instant believing that they may be brought before the child ''king'' lo be
they are in any danger. One of the drunk!. has a gripe lo judged. This royalty status will only last until daylight,
pick with the magi and will take this opportunity to but until then, the two mudlarks are on top of the world.
relieve some of that built up tension. The magi may They are not likely to ever forget this night. though they
even learn something of interest on how the villagers may eventually come to 1cgard it as only a dream.
feel about them and what things they are concerned
about that might affect theoovenanl.
Dual Trouble
The Coronation Procession The party e1orounter5 a small group of irate
men-at-arms, who are co vered from head to k>ot with
Tite sound of chanting assaults tht' character's rotten wgelables. When they see the party, they look
ears. Coming Into town from the north is a large proces­ angry aad move to surround them. If they can actually
sion. The faeries are wearing bizarre and outrag�us complete this mant"tlver, they will tell the group that
costumes, with hats on backwards and colors dashlng they are under arrest for the humiliation of the Baron's
horribly. They have attached the Village Tavern's sign troops. The soldiers were assaulted a shorl time ago by
to a staff and are using it as a standard. The- chanting a group of £aeries who have decided to imitate the
comet5 from MJl'f\e dwarfish monks. If somrone Ustens players' party and see how much trouble they can cause.
closely to the words, they will realize that the monks arc It will be diHkult to persuade the guards lhat the group
really singing a drinking ditty. in Latin. Grc.-gotian chant didn't pe1petrate the c1b11e that lhey are accused of
style. The words go as follows: doing. Just before a real confrontation results, the group
of faeries, looking exactly like the characters, will arrive
Off we go to drink some rum on the scene, act extremely arroganl, and accuse the
And sit in gutters Uke a bum characters of being imposters. The faeries duplicate the
Some get drunk 10 stt and think group exactly, except for the fact that Martin has nnt
But we get dnmk to puke and stink. been duplicated (a possible clue to Martin's identity as
Bo�meer).
The guards, at this poi.nl, will be so conf••sEd
{it would be great if you could sing it for your
and befuddled as to practically be out of the picture.
players, using a Gregorian chant of yow choice as the
The faeries will move to attack the charac1ers, each faerie
·�·
engaging the character that they are imitating. The
The cause of the procession is the coro11<1tion of
guards will attack if they are attacked, but will otherwise
the new king and queen of the Revelry. lncnd:!bly
move into a deftonsive line well away from the feuding
enough, the future klng and queen are none other than
parties. If a character ts killed, the imposter faerie will
the village mudlarks. Marius and Marti, fraternal twin
try lo stay with the party as if they were the original
orphans.
character. 'The (aeries will not hesitate to use their
Having no place to hide. they attempted to run niagicaJ powers during the melee and this might allow
away, but were quickly rounded up by lhe faeries. Tu an observer to tell the difference between two otherwise
their surprise, they have found the faeries more accept­ identical combatants. The faeries who resemble the
ing folk than their own people. To be treated like wizan:l{s) cannot cast the wizard's Spl'lls, but can only
royalty is such a treat for them that they are foolishly use their own miscellaneous powers. If the party hasnot
gorging themselves on faerie food, and acting ralher
added Bogemeer at the beginning, this might be a good
pompously towards any who speak With them. If the time to insert him. When the combat is over, the guards
charactl."f5 should attempt to have a word with Marius
will apologize to the characters, st;ile that justice was
and Marti, they will have to first get pei111.ission to
done hi the pe1pt:'trators of the criml!, and then beat a
app1oach them rrom one of their Satyri bodyguards (and

112 fAERJES: A Complete Handboolr of the SeeUe

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hasty n.11eat back to the Baron's castle. As they disap­ on his castle. (This could be a mixture of whimsy and
pear, rotten vegetables will pelt them all the way out of horror at lhe same time, lo play up lhe faeries' differ.
town from faeries drinking on top of the village's roofs. enccs.) Sprites drop flower� on the warriors manning
the walls. and satyrs throw a javelin or two and then ll'ot
off to drink some more wtne. 'The faeries are recreating
Who's LaUllhlng At Whom? the epic baltle in which the 13 trilx!s of Celts defeated
A high, contagious laughter seem5 to come from them and drove them lo their forests and mounds
centuries ago. The pain of that defeat is strong. and this
nowhere and everywhere at once. The characters need
to make Serious mils of 6+ to •void breaking out in group of faeries takes out their anger in this moclt attack
uncontrollable laughter too. Other personality traits on Guifre's manor. H magically attacked, the faeries flee
could be made instead if you deem them appropriate. into the woods Ul'ltil the magi have left, whereupon they
The papetrator of all this nonsense is a wayward
return to resume the siege. If any faerie Is caught and
leprechaun. far from his home on the Emerald Isle. He asked where Bogemeer is, they will respond that he is in
was captured and brought here by a magus who moved !he village down the road from hl'J'(' (Javielle). U asked
to the oovenant of Val-Negra, to the south ofMistridge. why they aren't there too, they will respond that they
When the magus tried to U9l' him in an expt.'l'iment, the are waiting for him to call them to celebration ridge.
leprechaWl used his ability to cause laughter to esrape. They can't be any more specific about the details, but
He has beert living at the Moaning Oaks for the past few they are looking forward lo il If physically attacked, the
decades. He will continue to pester the niagi out of spite faeries will dramatically play out the scene, attacking
for their kind. When imitating the leprechaun's laugh, grogs, companions and magi with more Intent to hwnili·
use a nauseatingly high pitched, mocking laugh.
ate than kill {though we all know what Mom 511ys about
playing like this, '"If you·re not careful, sc1meone will gel
an eye poked out, or worse!!!''). Sir Guitre and his men
The VID"l!e Idiot haYl' locked up th!.' castle and are manning the walls.
The servants and womenfu\k are in the chapel praying
The troupe comesacross Pep, the village idiot, and singing litanies. No amount of noise Ciln get them to
holding an animated discussiOfl with a number of older open up the gates until daylight. Sollll' drastic means,
Daoine Sidhe, under the graceful boughs of the willow which won't put the covenant in good standing with Sir
trees by the river. This is surprising because �p ls a
Guifre, will have to be used to get an audience with him
dumb mule, having been unable to hold an intclligenr and little information,exrepl that the siege started .at
conversation since his visit to the Moaning Oaks, ten twilight, can be obtained.
year.i ago. Now it seems, with the rise of the Faerie
Powt"l'S for an l?Vefling, that his senses havc n-tumed to
him. He can be 11 source of unlimited gossip for the
magi. since most people talk around him without fear,
Retumlnl! Home
feeling that he is unable to pass along any infonnation When I.he moon almost tums blue Ithat is. when
he may overhear. He also knows a 101 about the Faeries, you decide ii is almost completely blue, and tell the
having a Faerie Lon.> of 4. How much he imparts to the players that). the characters will no doubt wish to
magi depends on how Ihey have treated him during past hightail ii back to Mistridge to help defend against the
adventures. U questioned about the faerie Lord Boge­ onslaught of faeri� that is expected, since their own
meer, he will looked surprism. point back the way the m!Mion was a failure � faeries will hall the charac­
group had just come and say, 'Why he's righl ..'", at ters, saying such things as "see you in a bit." "Hide your
which time his tongue will go dumb again (Bogemeer jewels, it'll be more fun thal way,"or even, ''Hey, make
had to keep him From blowing his rover). Staring•! the sure no one clse gets tu that magic your enchanting
group, his eyes will go wide with ft>ar and he will boll before I do." Many of the faeries will be seen making
away as If all the demons of Hell were on his tall. For their way towards Mistridge and huge numbers will be
the rest of the evening, the group will Set' Pep avoiding seen encamped all amund the ridge. Otherwise, there
them as if they had the plague. Future encounters with will be no opposition to lhe characters making it back lo
him after this night will find him just as mute and dumb the covenant. Let them make whatt'-ver preparatiotlB
as ever, as. well as sad. Any qul!Slioning about this they wish to proh:!ct their labs. etc. Let them catch their
evening will bring tears to his eyl'S and he will blurt out breath and worry about the onslaught they are probably
his favorite phra!ie, "Agi· agi-agiflum." expecting.

Sir Gulfre's Manor The Party

If the troupe seeks help from Sir Gulke, the Once at Mistridge, Bogcmeoer will take the
magi encounter a horde of faeries making mock attacks opportunity lo sneak off and ascend to the top of the

, ,. PAERIE5: A Complete Handbooll of the Seelle

tower. There, once the moon has turned completely crevices of the covenant, to come out on occasion for
blue, he will blow his silver horn. Only if he blows the mischievous purposes. The amount of strange events,
hom from the top of the tower can the party begin, and and missing or bmken ltems. is totally dependent on
the faeries can pass through the Aegis of the Hearth. how friendly the fa('ries were with the rovenant. Use
However, &ga11Ce1 is magically powerful enough that your imagination; many future �orit>S can arise from
preventing him &om doing so would be very difficult. this night's evenls.
Then! will be a rumbling in the sky, bright colors will Too bad It only comes once in a blue moon •...

flash, and then, flying through the air and galloping on

the ground, in a rush of color and sound. will come the
fAe1ks frum all dln?l:fio115, Magic wiU have m effect on The Creatures Encountered
the raeties until the revelry is over {the po-wer of
Bogemeer's spell prevents this). Once in the covenant, Lord Boqemeer the Outr�eous
an the fac1les will congregate in the council chambers of
the magi, which are built upon lhe fonner site of Appearance: Bogcmcer's eyes are penetrating, and
Boge.c11cets throne and feast room. His silver horn will their steel-grey color sparkles. When this immense
grow larger and larger when he sel5 it on the floor, and fellow laughs, his enormous bc-lly jiggles and his eyes
all kinds of C.l(()tiC food and wine wlU �Ill forth (Uris is gleam with unrontTolled glee. Around people, he is
the original horn ol plenty). The party then ensues in very easy going; his demeanor is non4threatening.
full force, occupying the entire covenant. The council Even Lord Bogcmecr has forgotten how many
chamber will have been magically changed for the years he has hosted the faeries in Val du Bosque - since
duration of the night, scc1ing 11 many times larger than it faeries do not measure life in years as humans do, time
nonnally is and being decorated appropriately for a loses all meaning lo Immortals. Hosting this party is the
royal party. Bogemeer will hold court in a place of greatest power and the most baste responsibill1y of this
honor, while the King and Queen of the Revelry have famed and mighty faerie. fl'asting ls all he does, it is all
secondary places of honor. he is, and he ls very good at it.
If the magi impl'CS9ed Bogcmecr, he will wel­ Bogemoor is the feast king, the host of good
come them to the revelry and invite !hem to participale occasions, the prince of pleasure. His immense status
fully. He will also warn the fat'J'io:>!> not to harm the among the faeries is granted only b«ause he is so fun.
covenant, but genially tells the wi:r.ards that �accidents He amuses them, so thq- (no matter what rourt they
can happe11." come f'Tom, Scelie or Unseelie) accord him respect and
On the other hand, I/ the magi were rude boors, will obey his wishes if they think it has to do wilh
they will be reful!Cd admittance lo the initial revelry in having a fun party.
the feasting hall (council chaJJibtT) and anything is fair People like him. he is fun and friendly, and isn't
game. There are hundreds of faeries who are especially very threatening. IL is ea!>)' to laugh around hlm, it is
sb'Ong on this night, so the magi wi.11 be hopelessly easy to have a good time. He 1nfluences the emotions of
outnumbeted and any idea5 tm.'Y have on retaliating those around him to such a d� that it is impossible
against the faeries should be di5couraged and stopped mt to have a good time (even if your labora1ory isbeing
summarily if they are initiated. If the troupe has beeri tom apart). Play out his genial, likeable nature (think of
exceptionally good, Boge111Cr C will give them a token of him as the ghost of Christmas p�nt - fat, jolly, and
his friendship, thus making him a strong ally of !he very n..-1,1y yet with a d"'Cf't'r and more serious side to
ooV1?nant. This could be a bell which could call any him as well which only exists within his own mind).
faerie within 1 mile lo the magi's aid for as long as the Bogemcer Is an extremely knowledgeable
sounds of the bell last (about half an hour). The revelry fellow. He likes to spend time living among the mortals,
will be raucous and can be roleplayed out li you wish. learning about them. In this story, his goal is to see if the
The party involves faeries of both the Scelie and Un­ magi have matured t>nough to be seen as allies and
seelie courts, and for the dural:ion of the feast, there is a friends rather t�n a5 nuisances ilnd enemies. The
truce. They are joined together tn a cacophony of wizards amuse him wilh all their seriousness and their
celebration. interest in arcane matters. He would like tci lighten
them up a little, liven up their existence and have them
a5 friends of a sort who would ;ittcnd his parties {lo give
The Morning After them a little more flavor). So far however, they have
Jn the morning,
all the faeries wiU be gone and been such dreadful bores, and worse.
therovenfolk will have the task of cleaning up after­ As Martin, Bogemt'C'r should remain in the
ward&. Some things might be missing and strange background, being mostly forgottm until the ch;iracters
events can happen from time to time in the years to remember him and ask him something or confront him.
come. A few faeries remain hidden in the cracks and

CHAPIev NIHe: �t of the faerie 115

 Though he looks and acts much the way he usually 1st +4, Atk +6, Dam +12
does, he Is not as i11lp0Sing or charismatic as Martin. Body levels: OK, 0/0/0/-3, Incapacitated
With thecharachm. he will be a jolly fellow, who 30.'.lN
preoccupied i n observing the faeries {though actually be
Is watching the characters). If the players ask him Each boar has 3 points of Animal vis in its tusk.
questions about the faeries, he will gladly give them These are fierce and bad tempered beasts
whall!ver information he om - much more than a
normal "scholar" should rightfully know.
Men-at-arms
This is not the only party that Bogemeer hosts,
though it is certainly the largest. Periodically he hosts a These six warriors from Sir Gulfrii's manor were
party at his mystical pine grove in a hidden vale in lhe w.ught outside during this faerie night. They are
mountains near Val du Bosque. It is quite an affair and oonfu!led and angry. having been humiliated frequently.
ii attracts guests from Faer:leland itself. Perhaps the The characler.i are the fITSt near human folk they have
wizards might be invited if they are able to make friends met and they are dctermin1,_-d to see justice done to
with this strange, inexplicable a.nd powerful faerie lord. someone.
Leather Hauberk: Soak +S
Faerie Might 40, Size O Body Levels: OK/O/�l/-3/-5/Incapacitated
Powers-Hom, calls the faeries to parties, and Two-handed Spear: lst: +12, Atk: +6. Dam: +9,
provides the immense and delicious feast at the party. Pany: -H
Bogcmeer is probably the most powerful
individual connected with Val du Bosque- !hough his
only interest is in hosting parties and havi11g fun. The faerie Dopplegan�ers
These powerful faeril.'5 have decided to Uniiate
Roleplaying 11ps; Always have a sly smile on your the wizard's party to cause mischief. Before they
face, and a twinkle in your eye (even as Martin, so the changed form, they were Silvestria Numina. No matter
players have an extra clue). Speak with a deep, round who they imitate, they haw the following statistics:
voic:e. Think of the ghost of Christmas pn:x11t. only Faerie Might 8
even more boisterous and rotund.
Soak: +7, 1st +5, Atk: +6, Dam: +9, Def: +4
Body Levels: OK/0/0/ ·1/·1/lncapacitated
Faerie Ruffians They are also able to cast miscellaneous spcll-llke
These gnarled brownies have bea1 told that they powers up to level 15. These cost 1 Faerie Point/S
are part ofa ruse to be played upon �me humans. levelsof the spell.
Being particularly fond of tricks and jokes, these Un­
scelie brownies d o their part of this con job with vigor
and unconcealed glee. They have bcu1 told to Oeeal any Hill Goblins
great resistance, but to make It look good. Humans are These stench ridden, dusty, filth covered mon·
not to die, but accidents can happen.
grel faeries are often the least favorite faeries of most
Faerie Might 10. Size -1 mortals, though they arc not necessartly of the UnSt'\'lk>
Soak ..... court. With !heir tight brown skin, scrawny litUe arms
Can cast any combination of Rego and Mulo with and bald bumpy heads, they do not appear to be very
Animal, Herbam, and COrporcm of up to level 20. It fonnldable warriors, and indeed they are not, but in the
cosls 1 Faerie Might point per S levels of lhe spell cast. game of stealth and ambush they are supreme. Their
Strangest feature is their long eye lashes.
Faerie might; 7
Boars
1be brownies command 2 magical boars, and 3 Daolne Sldbe
more arc waiting in the bushes in case the brownie's

lives are in danger, These spry and thin little men with steel grey
Size 0, Cun +2 hair, cold grey eyes, and solemn face5 are the most noble
of all faeries. Though they never sm1lc, they engage in
Pel' -1,Stm+S
the revelry as much as the olher faeries, though in their
Fat +2, Def+1, Soak +10 own way. They like to discuss thiTigS, and talk about
intellectual matter�. They arc typically both know!-

116 fAERIES: A Complete Handbooit of the Seelle

edgeable and wise, and make for excellent convcnation Quiclrllngs
partners. Their wit and verbal adroitness make them
highly difficult to debate however, and they are known lbese diminutive faeries (under 2 feet high) are
for their evasions when it comes to questiorn1 about their of an alabaster complexion and sport tiny wings on their
own live9. They are much too powerful to be trifled backs. They have oversiz.ed heads. Mort alabaster fur,
with, and they are invariably surrounded by dozens of and permanen! grins. They can ny through most solid
animal like servants, guards and courtiers, objects at the cost of 1 Faerie �hi point. They are of
Faerie might 45 exlJel'Z'lt'ly curious and inquisitive naturos..
Faerie might: 15
Water Sprites
Sprites
With their banslucenl blue skin and spty liltle
bodies, thew- sprites are at home in the water and Sf:2od 1bese beautiful, sylvan crca1ures an- neVl'I' more
all of their time frolicking In it. They cannot leave it for than a foot high and have gossamer wings and chime­
long, for they will dry out. Water sewIS to always drip like laughs. They are the most gleeful and playful of all
from them and they from ii, Whether they are of the the faeries, though they can be as mischievo11,5 as
water, the water itself, or somt>thingelseentirely Is not brownies.
mllly known. Faerie might: 5
Faerie might 10

Rocli Trolls
These obese
and wart-cov� creatures are the
smallcroousins of the enormous Mountain Trolls.
These more di minutive kin are only th� feet high or so,
.and are much more playful.
Faerie might: 15

CHAPTEtl NINE: Night of the Faerie 117

 ,.� � ;
Chapter Ten: A faerie
Nightmare
THE SHORTEST DAY

The lu:ize drifted aver thefores! gloorn in ll ponderous effi;rl to

bring complete darkness lo the gathering du:;k. The gray benrd of the
wiZArd Grimgrolh hung with ice and his purple clooA· had mostly disap­
peared under a haivy burdro ofshlldowed snow. Hi..� tired figure trudged
omoord, stEp by sl<!p throwgh the ice Mid snow, /abvrWusly pulling himulf
forward with hi.s ornately-carved 5/aff. His companit•'15, eq11ally rn1bur-
1/entd with the snow, loyally Iailed behind him. with nary a word rif
frustration or complaint.
Grimgrolh rubbed his bl!llrded chin us he waiched the spn'te's
las! magic spell fade ta dust. How was he supposM to beat a faerie on ils l1111ne ground in a coniesI
of gi
ma c? In front of him, a host of '1iz4lrre furies jtJnned a semi"Circle and uratch£d him intently,
and lAdy Be/lantia, their host al this festiwl, gauJ al him steadily. He glanced !o his side to see
how his cor11pu1i1 ons were doing. They semred .amllsed, and Torlrn was gi&rtling. Ttio dn111k 011
faerie wine, dangerously drunk. Bui drunk e110ugh lo appreciate a filt/r gam<'
Wilh a ff!W WClrdS and ll flourish of a hand g�lure, Grimgroth called 11p /I gr<'lll wind to pr1/I
Torim into the air, spin him, and /and him again in the center ef thrrlt'ilri11g. T1>r/e11's srre;iming
added immen.>ely to the effect. There was 11 pt<usr, arul then an outburst of lau,r:hler from all those
11ruund, Tor/en's gigg/f:I! rising above the rrsr.
"Nol Md,p though/ Grimgrolh, smiling lo himself.

This story involves an encounlC'r with a group of enigmatic faeries. It is largely

ii ro\eplaying story, but some trying combat will (JCCU.r, during which the characters

might not have the bcnefil of their annor and weapons. The faerie foresI will be a
strange and mysterious place where wild and whimsical things happen. This is a slot)'
to have fun with, we hope you enjoy it.

118 FA.E111ES: A Complete Handbooll: of lhe Seelie

 taken for gr.anted, for ii is a strange, magical place where
Summary all the caprldousness and whimsy of the fae-rlt!!i bc-romes

l n this story, the characten attend a grand festival evident.

celebrating the winter solstice. It Is hosted by Lady During the day, don't try to fill every moment
Bellantia, a beautifuJ faerie of the Scelie court who reigns will action or dewiption, occasionally let silenre speak
over a portion of a faerie {01est. Their object is lo learn for you and let your pauses add weight to what you say.
about faeries and to gain gilts from them. During the Use a Storyguiding style that is more somber than
day, they delight in her company, but at nlght, the hyperactive, less broad than it is deep.
faeries of light depart to their places of sanctuary and g
Durin the night, lry lo make things seem
the dark faeries emerge {mcmbors of the Unseelie court). sinister and dangerous, and give the players a feeling of
Properly played, this sinislt!r dicholomy can bounce the eeriness, a feeling that thing$ are not quite right.
characters back 11.nd forth between comfort and fear, Tlu'Oughoul the story, try to build a reeling of wonder
relaxation and anxiety, celebration and combat. The and awe. This is not meant to be an action packed, wild
characters unrover and <hopefully) foil a plot by the and wacky faerie advmture. In this story, we are trying
dark faeries to make the day shorter and shorter, and for to get at another aspect of the faeries, to get a reeling for
the night to lasl. eternal. their otherworldliness, for their strangeness. "Ille faeries
The slory can take plare in any faerie forest in your ;ue like humans, they copy us, yet they are fundamen­

Saga, preferably one that has not alit!ildy been thor­ tally different; and in those dlfference!i the characters
oughly explored. (But then what faerie forest is ever C.Jin discover themselves.
fully explored7) The Lady might rule over the enlire
forest If it is small or over one section If It Is especially
large. Mundane woods surTOund the fame wood s and Preparations
serve as a buffer between humanity and the "gentle
folk." The story takes place in winter, so be sure you Thert: are throe leads to !his story, th11t !lhould both
describe the cold and perhaps the snow, u they are be i ntroduced in previous adventures:
appropriate to the local climate. l l ThE' Talc of the Faeries' Midwife
2) The Poem of Lady Bellantia
PlatOutline 3) The characters are told about faerif'S attacking
First Day Introductions and Storytelling fa1111ta!>.
FintNight See.Ing the Ritual Al some point in their adventuring career, the
Second Day Festival cuntinues charact� should hear thcT� ol lhe F•criea' M1dwih.
Second Night Finding the Spy, It is a perfect tale for them to overhear in some tavern, or
Oimactic Battle to have told lo them by some old hemtit. lt is a local
Third Day The Lady's Gifts legend tolling the story of an actual woman said to have
lived eighty or so years 11gu. She was ar1 excellent
midwife, and one night a group of very ugly faeries
Theme came to call, asking her to help birlh one of !heir own, in
exchange for SClme gifts. Wisely, she conscntt'd, and was
This �I)' is about dichotomies, duality, and led into the woods. The labor was long and strenuous,
how one person can actually be two different people. and when sunrise ca�. the mother fame had nol yet
According to most of the world's great religions, all of us given birth. All the other faeries went undcrgmund,
contain both good and evtl. Though we labor to do leaving the mother-to-be alone with the midwife, who
good (at leasts most of llll), we !till have 1."Vil within us, now realir.cd that she had been de.aling with the dark
and we still do eVll things. Who hasn't succumbed to faeries of the night. When the babe was born, she
temptation, who hasn't taken something that wasn't grabbed him and ran away, leaving the mother behi11d.
ours, who hasn't had thoughts so evil and disgusting She laid the child by a pool where she hoped a good
that we wondered wha t kind of person we really were. faerie of the day would come and find it, to talw lt as her
In "The Shortest Day," we tackle this issue own; and then she fled the forest altogether, fearful of
straight forwardly. This theme weaves around the plot being trapped there for eternity.
as a whole, as many of the details also involve it. (This stOJ')' dcsc1ibes the birth of Hennonc, one
To better portray the faeries, the Storyguide of the faeries that the characters will meel in the adven­
should indulge in whimsy and hnagination while ture. The players should not realize this until some
running the d.Jiyti11ie ocer<Es,and emplvsii:e the d<irk point late in theadvenlure.)
and mysterioUs while running the nighttime encounters. At some point in their travels, probably in a
On«> the characters cnh?f the iort?St, no!hing should be respectable city tavern somewhl'K', the characters will

CHAPTER Tt!N: The Shortest Day I 19

encounter an ll!ii.'eled
eb old man, who Sf bat' igt11 to thing JI i!l lo behold. U they !E ••1 like they might bt
"""' P''""" ofltio ioanll"' ,.... ... ,.... .. glory. bdh r� lo atted, �will.. In private, beg than lo bth\g
H"is � is Sir Velgalde, a bachelor bight who once him aJong. He wmild Hke a sewrod d\anee to stay with
aerved in the household ora local baron. A patient Uldy Bellantla.
character will hear many well told ballovfs ot honor and Sk-Velgardealso will mention Lady BeDantill's
wamre. In each .11axy, tht knight tells how the memory generosity toward her gueats. The promiSe of free gifts
ofa beautiful woman named Lady BeianHagave IWn might inleiest the characlenl if the idea ofpartying with
the strength and courage to persevere. An Int + Folk faaies doea11't already. Hewin1• dilyshow lfe11 tl'le
I.tu mil of 8+ will teU the charact8s that at one tiuoe. he bronze ring Lady 8eDantla pve htm (whidi incleum
was a troubadour ofno small repute m110J1g the loml his longing for her}, but wide no drannstanees wil1 he
-· sell tt or even take it off.
tf he is asked about It,. Sir Velgarde Will tell the
....,..•
rte
�-osabout the Ont: luin'IOl'tal day when he WIUI a
gust at lhe Court of Lady Bellantla,ihe most beautifUl The Poem1 The Shortest
womm he ever met, 11 mag1...1 faerii! IMngin the nearby
forest who gave blln glfts and a memory oflorit?'l Day
that has1a......t uns1filled Ior-endy fifty years. He
compnr?d: a love ballad for berjusl:before he 1efl,and
A Lady Awed, qi' ;G of pure light,
shewuso touched lhatahe pionus ' thatanyone who
·
:

ever r d itNWher woods on the day of the winter Invited me to Arcadia one night,
solstic:e would be inviled to the grand festival just as he To ease the .pain of my mortal plight,
had been. Sir Velgatde will readilyredteit for the And she welcomed upon the Shortest Day.
cha..-.
When Sir Velgarde a.me back flout the fut t. hi$ Shegave me her hand�andaffaei a.m -1
prieat�.stl'Ongly warned himagainst ever A ft: at so bountiful, it andd notbe real
�� to the evil haunts of the £aerie&, when! his llOul Oh. such gt ,, joy my heart did feel.
w.e.at risk i1Gwe•e1, &tnce that day. he hascanied •
� we laughed upon the Shortest Day.
pa1innate longing for t.dy Be!bntia's mmpi.ny.
Uthe � show an lnlelesttn the poa11, Sir Agift [brought, a blue� bough.
Velgarde will encoutage them to go thefestival, going
It drank from her cup. I know not how
on at !lOme lengthu tti whll a marveloU&and rnagiCal
But the branch did grow. It towus now,
And we sang upoti the Shorll!ll! Day,

Tales �told as the sun dipped low

An e•adltg ofbeau'J', l could nolgo
My joy at this lady I attempted to show
We spoke Of love on the Shortest Day.

The Shadows grew, she pulled away.

Thetablewered: •al. She woutdnotstay.
Herglft.a bronze ring. I have Iii this day.
And we wepr upon the Shortest O.y.

As diJlitess began to gatbermighL

The Lady's teats dld blnr my sight.
She tw1Ed on heel and made her ffight.
Alonl!'/IJ lot, 1IJ"ln thelmlplt NighJ.

Tbe Pa,1•• of lady BpJJanlla was written tn honor ol

this beautiful £aerie q• ?li!PI in the style ol dK! Frend;,
trou� (who invented the� of romantk low
il5 we know lt today) and speaks of the author's Jove for
""· Th• pae< then • '""Y young knight, <=po...t the
e 1959 A

...
poem while relcbraung the fllSl days after the winter the point where it begins to berome magical. Have each
solstic'e wilh her, the firsl days ol the year that are longer of the players desclbe one thing their characters see
than the ones before them. (It is this event that the which makes it magical and mystmious, which gives it
characters will be celebrating as well.) When he left after the glamour of the faerie. Branches move without a
the festival, Lady Bellantla told him that anyone who wind, flowers are found in a snow drift, bees take on
comes to the forest and recites that beautiful poem will strange shapes and may look like something from the
be welcome at her court. Over the years, a number of chMacters' past. If the cha!'llcten conlinue to walk
curious people have traveled through Lady Bellantia's about, they eventually find themselves back where they
faerie forest; pe11rap& the characters themselves have started, even if they have lhe assistance of an astu�
passed through it. Bula scant few have ever been forester; they cannot enter the fa<>rie area of the forest
welw11ltd lo the Lady's Court as the characters will be. simply by walking in {these effects are similar to the
The characters are also told of how faeries are spell The ShroudW Glen). Only when one of the
attacking farmers at night. In recent years, the serfs character.. recites the poem aloud can they gain entrancl.'.
have be(.11 expanding their holdings into the ft1rest, (Hav<' a player actually read the po<!m. They had better
cutting down l1ees one by one. The Faeries of the night become accustomed to hamming it up ii they are going
have struck back and are killing farmers, and dark to get along with the faeries.)
wolves have been stalking all those foolish enough to go Within a few minutes oi the poem being read, the
out at night. Yet the day faeries are very friendly and faerie Zacarus peers out from behind an oak tree and
kind, and have given gifts to those hardest hit by the calls out to them:
excursions of the night faeries.
.� Welcome, mortals, lo the lands of Wy BfJ/anHa.
Follow me now, or yrow' II be luti: fer the festival, fale for the
festiTJal.''.
Settinll off
He is excited to see mortals, especially those who are
The decision to tr.ivel to visit Lady Bellantia going to be at the party with him.
must be made by the players themselves; try not to use •"Right this way, oh do fail/ow me, it's not much ftlrtMr
any form of roerdon. The curiosity of the characters rww, don'I get impatient, 1·rn 11ot Wdlking too fast fer yv11 am
should be aroused by the tales they hear, and the entire I, hnt, lhis way, up this hill now, il's 110t far, yes. Y"-· r'rn
adventure precipitated by their decision to venture to ZlulUUS, by /he 1m1y, do you cornt from faraway? ..." •12
the forest. The characters should expect a festival of nayseam.
some sort and perhaps some unpredictable faerie antics,
It ts hard for him to stop talking long enough lo lt.<t
but there is no reason for them lo expect a lot of combat.
the characters answer any of his questiom;. When the
Make it clear to the players that this will be a roleplay­
characters have gone a mile or so. Z'.acarus suddenly
ing advcntwe.
stops and gracefully spins on one toe lo face lhe thc-m.
If soJJ'IC other way of getting the chara.clt:is to lhl' In tones of reverence he ,;1ys:
forest is more sui table to yoUT Saga, use it. You could
have a friend request that they retriew a handful of
··Weare approm:hing the Court of the Most illurnil1{)us
�4y Belltmtia. l, Zacarus. l..Rdy Bellimtia's pimona/ spokts­
herbs that grow only in the depths of the faerie forest.
rnan, will formally 12nn01,nct yau. lo tlte court, !tut I will need
Or perhaps these characters may have done a favor for to know your names -and your titles of course.� •
one the faeries from Lady Bellantia's Court, and in
return they are rewarded with an invitation. He then tries to mcmoriu> the characters' names (as
well as any tilies they might provide), but without great
The journey to the fo1est will be greatly slowed
succes.s He mispronounces some names and miille$
by Sir Velgarde, if he is brought along. He is an old
others up. Try lo get the players as froslTated with him
man, suffering from old war wounds, and overly used to
as possible.
spending his days s.iling on a tavern bench drinking ale.
He can be crotchety and requires help wi th almost Zdcarus then leads them further into the ftirest until
everything. He would like to ride his horse, but it again he slops and whirls about and, looking a bit
would react badly to the wi2ards, so some othl'T ar· disgusted and a little embarrassed, says:
rangements will have to be made. l'erhap!I the grogs •NAnd you'll have to do samething about... well 111.>oul
can carry him, as he is unable ta walk to the forest on his that horrible bark you are wl!Jlrlng." •
own; he is simply too weak. He is looking at one of the characters wearing lots of
iron armor or canying a large iron weapon. Faeries find
iron land steel) offensive as well as harmful, and
The First Day 7.acarus will not take them t11 the Lady's Court if they
wear or carry iron with them. They will have ta think 11f
Following Sir Velgarde's advice or personal
som€'thlng to do with their armor and weapons., such ns
guidance, the characters hike into the woods and reach

CM.PIER TEN: The Shortest Day 121

putting them all in a bundle and leaving the bundle to •"Oi.r belo'IJed Lady Btllantia, she who CllUSt!5 /ht wami
the side when they get to the Courl U they are very fl
winds to blow aml tht uwm to bloom. who proftcts the gluw
clever, they may think of a way lo sneak ii with them, of day and who soon shllll drive back the dark night, mistress
but faeries arc very sensitive lo it, and they are likely to of the sun and llldy of the bountiful fruit, ml1JI I prtsmt your
be discovered. Warriors might feel exposed and vulner­ tstremesl guests, wlw hold you in 11l1n11$1 as much eslwn 115 do
able without the weapons and anY\Ot lhey are accus­ 1
.•..�.
tomed lo � hint lo the characters that this would be a At which point he attempts lo inlroduce the charac­
good thing 10 rolepl•y out. ters. H he gets any of the names wrong.. or switches the
names of two characters, the faeries will call them by the
names Zaca:rus gave them, forever,
even if lhe characters
The Lady's Court come bai:k here years taler. After all, the Lldy's official
Soon the characters romc to a clearing about forty spokesman has spoken.
paces across when!' winter's touch is felt in a very In any case, Zacarus does not introduce the chilfl!C­
magical way (dcsuibe It like something out of a Christ­ ters in any particular order, as one would ap«I a
mas card). The surrounding trees, though bare of human to do. Grogs and magi are l'<lually important
f
leaves, are covered with a layer o glistening frost, and from the faerie perspective. Warriors might even be
the air iii warm and moist with only a gentle bree7.e. seen as more exotic than magi because they use so many
Throughout the wholc glade, soft fluffy snow is falling. tools of iron, while magl's spe:Ils are nothing special in
Lichenous rocks of an sizes fill the area, and these serve the land of the faeries.
as seats for the Lady's Court. Al the far end of the Then Zacarus says to lhe characters:
clearing is a large, broad, flal rock wlll1 a mound of moss
plied on top; it Is lhe throne of lhe Lady. However, the
.�As surely you have surmised, yon bet111ty can be P10ne
vlher lhan the splendid Uuiy Bellanlii:i, and we, her humble
falling snow obscures it, so the characters c11n11ot see
cv1<1rl.''•
who is seated on ii, they can only tell that someone is
""'"'· Then he turns towards the Lady, gives a deep, slow
bow, ;md backs away till he is slandlng to the side of the
Proper staging and description can greatly
throne. The characters may greet the faeries In what­
develop the mood of this scene; you must intmduc:e
ever way they find appropriate. Encourage them to be
Lady Bellantla in the right way, so that the players tru1y
ostentatious.
feel a sense of wondC'r and e>(pectatlon. Therefore, don't
introduce her right away, have them first rllftf' members After they have introduced themselves, Lady
of her Court, one after another, b11ilding up lo
the Point Bellantla win thank them for coming to visit her, and
where they finally get to see her. will invite them IO attend the festival of the shortest day.
Seated out on the rocks about the clearing are When the formalities begin lo gel tedious, the
eightother faeries, and six more can be seen standing storytelling begins.
around her. There are shy fauns and gayly dressed
elves, tiny pixies and gossan'ol!r winged sprites, but don't
try to dauibe them all al once. The faeries all fare the
If Sir Vet11arde Has Come AloD11 .••

newcomers and in surprise stare at them. As long as lhe Lady Bellanlia recognizes Sir Velgarde lnslantly and
charactei& do not act rudely or thrcalcningly, the faeries ushers him to her side. With a touch, she restores him to
simply stare at them for a minute or so. For tho5e the age of 24, his age when he visited her thl' first limt'.
moments of siltmce, the beauty of the glade, even in He will enjoy himself immensely al the party and always
winkr, becomes deeply apparent. It is a deeply magical sit at Bellantla's right Side. He retreats with her into her
place. (The aum is Faerie +8.) Those wearingP"mure tree each night and heartily eats and drinks the faerie
mt1giCQt do not sense or experiencC' the beauty as food. Knowledgeable characters realize that these
strongly. actions will prevent him from ever leaving th<! forest. Sir
D�=""ibe the scene with as much loving detail as Velgarde also knows this; he has abandoned the mun­
you can muster: dane world and endangered his soul, all for the sake of
•Before you is the beawtiful Llldy Bellantia sitting regally his lady love. He mostly ignores the characters {unless
atop her lhrone, her skin is so smooth 1111d milky, llnd her eyes lhey offend the Lady) and spends his lime associating
11tt so blwe tlW yau belie!ito you hllve � before. met sqmeone with the faeries.
sa beawliful. Crouchtd ha/de her is a" ugly dwaef, holding
her""'"" """ clipping ha fingernails with a Fili' ofi;i1ver
Storytelllllll
scissm. • {Llter he will sec1etly pocket the clippings.)
Zacarus takes several slcpli forward, bows to the I.Ady Bellantia stands and speaks to all who �
queen, and says: gathered:

,.. PAED1is: A Complete Randbooll: of the Seelle:

 "Ld us come bJ .brow ourgutsts, and let them come
to /arow us, through tales sMml. Ten ws, 7MOrus, 11 tale How to Storygitith Sforyftlling
wondro14S altd btautiful, lhat our visitors nwy lt11rn �
Jts not tJJSY w udumgestorlts during
lhing af ws."•
a rolqHaying ses.sio11. YOll not only haw to mAkt up
With this Zacarus, the portly spokesman. �!Is a tale and tell a s1ory wdl. bul you hliV£ to do it while
nf lnUere, a young faerie who was lost in the strange rollplaying your cluuader. Yet parfldox:ically, lhls
wilderness beyond !he woods. 1here he saw all manner mi.ik• it taSier AS Willi, part af the inttrtsl of the
of bizarre things; fat, ponderous creatures with horns on story can be how you Q1'lore your c/vlmcteras your
their heads that made the sound of a bell as they walked character tells the story. Forinstana, if 4 kniRhl
{cows with bells about their necks), a tree thal had been /a/ks aboul a pasl battle, thal baltle can help explain
bent into strange shapes whose leaves were all thin and who thAt pmon is to lheotherplaym. What's
yellow and clumped atop it {a hay wagon), a fii;Id that more, how thal knight tells the story can provide
grew stone!:I instead of bushes, where people Wlthout insighl llS wt/I.
!heh' bodies roomed at night (a graveyard, the faerie
Here's a litt/eadVU:t thar (art hdp-yi:iu
could see its ghosts}. Fmally, as the sun was returning to
�a good sl.DryleDing session:
the- sky a horrible danging sound coming from a huge
nat bo�er (chun:h bells) filled his ears and sent him •Don't aska playet to tell a slory and
hunying hack to the safety of the gentle forest. thm just. Sit brick. Build up ro ii, let them know
thq'rt going to Juroe to tell a story, a11d then keep
When he is done, Lady Bellantia asks the characters .
lalkinR to giw them time to prepare, 11nd while
to tell a story of their own. They
might recount one of
you're t1/ki11g, give them a few ideas ftrr a story to
their previous adventures or tell a story they heard from
tell. For inst1nce, you could have Hermoneask Bob
others. If one tells the stoey of themortaJ midwife
to tell a sWry, then you could have Hermone talk
about /urw wunderful ii is to htn>e guests from the
taking a night faerie lo the world of the day faeries,
Hermone will recogni ze the tale and discount It. "Such
outside world. a world so filled with slran!{t perils,
preposterous things these mortals say of us. No dri.ld of
and wdrd waridoi;, !!le.
the night could live with those who relish daylight!"
•You s1Wul4 te/l lhe first slOfY. If yw
tf the characters do not �II a story. they will seen\
maJa your st11ry good, the pklym will try lo llo twn
rude. A very bad firs! impn5Slon (subtract 3 reward
bttta, To matt ywr stury good, practia it llhoid "1
points), If they tell a good one, they well be very well . time, or al letJSt figure what elements )'PU will
received during the ooming days and the storyteller will
intludt in it. You'll need a good opening li11t,
gain• special gift from Bella:ntia (see Bellantia's Gifts).
somelhiiag either r.iery dl!Seriptive, somtthins action
Ii one player tells a story, and it is boring you as well as
fl"'ked, or something mysterious tl!Dt makts ptaple
the othcT players, then it is likely it is boring the faeries
curious. You'll want to !luild up the mood.
as well. Have Hermone intemipl the storytelling.. and
ask anothC'I' player character to "tell us a good one." •If someone seems le be al a /Olis at
lww W continue /heir story, Rmi it UN.IS a worthwhile
After the characters have told a stoey, the sprite
sfory, you can 1lwa:ys haveont! uf thefairrlts iiater­
Mamice tells one. She is a young faerie, and does not
rupl arid tldd wrnething Jo it - llS if lhty knew
yet realize that faeries must hide much of whal they
wlu:lt lhe slory It.GS about. Try not to let your
know fro111 the mortal� She starts to tell the story of the
playm fail at storytelling, btatusr once l/!ey fail,
character$' visit to Lady 8ella11tia as if II had already
ll'U bea ctJld dflY in the Amazon !Jefere Ihey lry
happei:Kd, She might say, f�r example, "�ce u�� a
time, six mortals came to visit Lady Bcllanti.a, thinkmg ......
they were just coming for a
pleasan1 visit with our kind
lady. One was a wiZard of fire magics, one a simple At this point, the other faeries prevent Mamice from
warrior who had never put his sword lo the proper conti11uing. She is revealing too much. Lady Bcl1antia
lest .'' Make up details to describe the characters. If
.•.
apologizes for the improper story and has the Faun I.ell
one of lhe chi.racters has a secfet of some kind, she one instead.
might mention something about that, such as "One of
This story concerns an adventure the characters had
the visitors became as a wolf when the moon was full.''
some tim(> ago, though at first it will not be obviou� lo
She then recounts things that have nol yet happened.
the players, slowly they will begin lo realize that the
"On the first day, when the sun sel, they Wt..'f'l' taken to a
story is about themselves. Tey to tell the story hom the
place of Silfety to pr<>tect them from the dark lady's
faerie perspective, in lhe way that they would look al it.
minions.'' If you red particularly nasty, you can say,
I! the story concerns the abuse of faeries or of nature,
"'Bui that night lhe protection proved insufficient, and
one of them was slain.." ll you pred.Jct anything like this,
. then Lady Bellantia will look unfavorably on them and
try your danmdest to make It actually occur. 1hey will have to work harder to impress her {take 3
reward points away}.

CHAPTER TEN: The Shortest Day 123

 The characters can keep trailing stories with the uncomforlable. Forest animals will hate the characters,
faeries as long as theplayers are having fun. Bui stop as and will be much more prone to attack them. (Make ii
soon as the players begin to .,.•••• bored. so bad that those characters will never want lo adven­

ture into the- forest again.) Perhaps the character.I would

be able to lift this CUl'Sle by returning to Lady Bellantia
If the Characters Cause Trouble and pe:tfo111ling a service of penance for her.
You should make it clear to the players that it
would not be a good Idea to threaten the !aeries, to fight Welcoming Feast
with them, or to. in any way, insult Lady Bellantia, The
magical power of the faeries is thoroughly spoken of in After the storytelling. Bel\antia says:
legend and lore, as is their fondness for vengeance •�Ld ""' guesl!i be wdrome at 01tr tab/t, 11nd /el
against those who are ungracious and disrespectful. If tht111 5h4re in the joyous bounty of ourfiJresl. M •
the characters do cause trouble, the lesser faeries all flee She rises, touches a balTeTl ha.rel tree, and within
in panic, but Lady Bcllantia will stand finn and tell them minutes it sprouts leaves, and then luscious fruits of all
to leave her court forever. ff they do not leave, she will kinds: apples, pears, be•1ies, chenies and several othcr5
rellcal to her large oak tree which stands just behind her the characlers are not familiar with. Faeries climb and
throne, and withdraw all her aid from them, fly to the &uit, picking ii, playing catch with each olher,
1lie winter winds will feel like blades of Ice, and engaging in mock fights, and ewnluallycarrying it finl
the woods will stretch on seemingly forever. Getting to Bellantia, then to the guests, and finally to each other.
back to the salcty of the fannlands or the covenant {the No faerie eats food that ti has picked itself. Hennonc
home of the wizards) wiTI be extremely difficult. Fur­ eats no food of his own; he only eats what tAdy &llantia
thermore, at night the Unseelie faeries may well attack. has le� of her food and he particularly enjoys the cores
rt will not be a pleasant journey home. of apples.
If the characters truly abuse Lady Bellantia or The characters may realize <by making a Faerie
her subjects. she can curse them so that the woods will Lore + Int roll of 6+ or Legend Lore + lnt roU of 9+) that
always be hostile to them. Forests will be, for these eating faerie food can be dangerous, or Sir Vclgardc may
characters only, colder, hotter, muddier, lhk:kcr, and warn them. In extreme cases, one can be trapped in the
more eii;benoe, and in every way more dangerous and faerie world forever, though some have eaten of faerie
food without ill effect. With this knowledge, the charac­
ters can decide to eat or not tQ eat, as they see Iii. The
Humor arul Fmr faeries think that refusing food is rude, despite any
explanations offered, but will tolerate their guests'
The frrerie woods ofdgy and night offer behavior.
the charaders the dumt:t to experltna lighf htarltd
humor. and 11 sense of paice alongside anxiety, fear, Should anyone Indulge in the food offenxl, n:1ll
and pollSibly death. This story is purposely con­ on the following chart, and do so again each time a
struettd with that dichotomy in mirul, 1 lhink ii will human eats the food at this celebration. Let the pla�

tuld 11 great deal ofdepth lo it. & the Storygllide, ii give their characters bonu5e5 up to +3 {if they eat little)
& up lo yciw ta m11n;pwlate the feelings ofyowr or pen;i:llies up to -3 (if they l.'ill a lot), but don't let thc.>m
see this chart. A character with a penalty abo gct:san
playm to these ends. Ifthe daytime scmes b«w11e
loo absurd, tone them rloum, &ul at all ros/s tap extra botch roll using a stres.s die.
/hem light tmJJ full ofgood fttlings. If they're too No matter what the result, you must somehow
murubuui, throw in somefun or 11:n act ofgro4 graa weave it into the story. If a character grows a long nose,
on thti:-rt of o� ofthe jO£ries (throw in lats of encourage the olher characters to make fun of them, and

"""" fuuies). In tlaenighttime sctrn$, howirotr, certainly have the faeries tell a joke or two, "My, what a
thm should l7f no jay, no levity, no humor, only a long proboscts!N
grim sense lhtll d°'lh could /uric behind any tree. If
the players would take any of the details a/ the
nighttime scenes as silly, or if you ain't portray
thml slfriously, clumge lhe lktails lo malch the A3 darkness bc..-gins lo fall, the mood of the
mood. Tkl �Is of this srtory were not written this festival quickly changes. The f<K'ries make their way one
way b«'11:wre "dial's lhri Wll:!J it 1$//y lutppens"' buJ by one to the lrce& inside whi<:h they will spend the
M:aw wt wont to produa a git•m effect in lhe nighL 'They fear Ciertina's power and do not dally as
hearts and minds of thepllzyus. HIJU!lrM, sina the sun begins to set. 1bey will not, rannot, emerge
)'Oil knom }'QUT players be.I, dum� ll1J!/ dettZJ./ thal until dawn. Before Lady Bellantia gees to her tree, she
runs rounla lo the effed )'llU desin. gives each character a living leaf from the hazel and tells

••• FAERIES: A Complete Handboolz of the Seelle

 He;UKllll;! takes the characters a hundred paCl'S
flg;l• food O.ari{rol] d10) hom the court toa ring o{mushroomsten feet across
(the ring. not the muc;Mxims). It Is up to lhe characters
Jloll Effect to remember 1o coUect 1beir dis"•ded steel and Iron
botch The cliaracter will get sicker and sidrer equipm: 1t. Then he says:
as they leave the faerie foret1t, ind if they do not
•"Slay lrtreirt t1ds fan ring,aml yoM 1lrill be
return, they will die.
prof«fellfroni � Daft llldy's- miniOfis. 8Mt ifyaM step DMt
O or 'e'sS>;ucly Disoriented, the dW'ader of the rl"g, ftllll so much a one liHl11 loe, yoN will nrdy die.
hiccupa loudly, sin&' off key, babbles Very well then, yawwun't leave, will yaw?"•
inooherently, and generally has a great
Hermone l9 lyl.ng, because he doe• not want the
time. Indefinite duration.
characle.rti to leave the ring and possibly witness the
t Granted Faerie Sight until nightfall. ritual ht will take place. He lies with great effect, only
This m ;v; the character !lee's things in a GW!e + Per roll of 16+ wou1d let a character guess that
a spbih•a• way as• faerie wou1d, but he is l)ling. This roll should only be made ii the player
can't see things normally. Everything a-J.s to do so, and it shou)d actually be rolled by the
seu115 ll'ilnsitory and non-real, and you Storygutde.
beght to 8L"e the ephemeral nature of
reality.
2 Random atUmal 90Undt lnslotd of The l'lrat Nleftt
human 'I eech emerges from the
imbiber's mouth for the duration of the On the first night, the characMs ll!e the ritual
stay in the forest. Magi suffer penalties that Cierlina is using against Bellantia. The most
with spoken spells. Have the player profitable course ol action is to Wait in the faerie ring
roleplay It out. until the ritual Is over, investigate the site.and !lien
return to the faerie circle for safety.
3 Forest Affinity - the cha?acter becomes
con<fortable in for'l'Sts and can survive Hem'lone leaves them in lhe faerie ring and
in fhem easUy tbrough Intuition.. bundles back towards theCQUrl. If the characten havt"
their armor and sQch, lhey can put It on now. In the
f Sp-rial cune relevant to the character's
twilight, the forest Is still. and the bi.tles' winter winds
nature orb'c\g'ound, for d1¥1iltion of
pick up again. Charach-rs see no movunca•I and hear
...,. only the eerie aeakingof swaying t1ces.
5 Character gains an intense Jove of the
forest. forever.
6 OlaBcter gains an intense devotion to
Lady Bcllantta, forever.
7 Some feature, such as nose or fingers..
grows or shrinks until nightfall
8 Thefood anddr:lnkbrlngd ep
satis!actian to the character, they may
doze off and dreem beautiful dreams.
9+ Nc.t effect.

them that it will protect fucm &om the Dark Lady's

magic.
Hennone. 1-,liring that they will be in the Dark
Lldy's land that night, and anxious to� the charac­
ters from being discovered by her, and from them
findirlg out her plot and his part ift it, ensures that he is
the last foierie lefr outside. Feigning c:oncem, he tells
·-
•"'Y011 111u$ conR! lftWiYfront lwrttur4 go laap/lltt
of reftlge. Whtn tMsun stts, oil manna t1fvile. tricious,
Woad.llrir.ity amtures Milt OJl.f of tM gmwut, an4 you will be
slain wi!Jwut OflTptUltdion •..-•

CtiAP're.R TEN1 The: Shortest Da1 125

 Soon, howeveT, they notice dark shapes crawl·
ing out ol the ground and moving about the trees. These Encounters
are the dark faeries. As long as the characterS remain
1·5 Ominous noises and undefint'd shapes
within lhe faerie dttle, they will not be noticed, even by
in the distance, bul nothing threatening
creatures within just 11 few feet of them. Nor will the
faerii.'S of the nighI enter the circle. Thus the characters 6 A murder of large. noisy crows that call
will have the chance to see a kw interestmg creatures out "Caught, Caught, Caught!'' as they
without being attacked. The assorted imps spend much fly circles in the air over the characters
of their time pulling sadistic pranks on each other and 7 A dark elf spots the ch11racter(s) and
teasing the weakest among them. The silver wolves tric:is to talk to them, with a fiendish grin
simply prowl around aimlessly, their noses stuck to the on his or her face. He wants lo know
ground. Ckcaslonally, they will spy a rabbit and who the characters are, why they're
pounce on it, aflt>r which a fight will Invariably ensue here, and so on, and advises them to
between the wolves over the carcass, sometimes with leil.ve well enough alone. Sounds the
nothing being left of the rabbit aflerwa.rd. If you want to alarm if lhc charactets continue toward
encoura� a fight, have some of the Imps discover the the ritual.
charact('f's trove of weapons (assuming they hid them 8 or 9 An imp. who screams ULady Ciertina!
and didn't retrieve them a s night app1oached), pull out The sacrifice has arrived, lady
one Wllh a wooden staff, and then fight over it. The Cicrtlna!'' and tries to hold the
owner of the weapon might find it hard to krep in the characters at bay with his knife; but
circle; it could take severe mmmands by the magi lo flees If seriously threatened
stop them from running out. Use your imagination and
make up a few weird things they might see. Some of
10 A huj!;e silver wolf, which attaO:s on
sight
them might even be darkly humorous. One fat little
faerit' in particular sits up in a tree branch eating fer·
mentl'd berries and laughing every time SC1mc<lne gets Ideally, the characte1s should find some way In
hurt. see what is going on at lhe site of the ritual after th<­

If anyone looks t..cl< toward the court, !hey will ritual is ended and It is safe. If the characters heed
see much motion there, but in the datk it is hard to tell Hennone and refuse to set foot out of the ring, you can
exactly what is going on there. A spell to sec f.utheT find some way to draw Ulem out, such as having a lone
than normal would Jet a chuacter see lhat dark etves, imp take a nap just outside of the ring. It won't be a fun
imps, and hags are congregating where lhc Lady had adventure if the characters Sfil'lld their nights cowering
her court during the day. Near midnight, the place will inside the ring.
be imbued with II silver glow, as the ritual to the pow!!rs
of the night and the moon comes to its hlgh point. After
that, the gathered participants depart, l!!avlng only Investigating the Site
yi
random dark faeries wandering around, pla ng a brutal
Any character who sneaks out of ttie faerie ring
form of tag, plucking the remaining leavl!s off trees,
to investigate- the ritual while it is in progress stands a
cackling insanely, and so on..
good chance of getting caught. On the way to the ritual
site, there is a 50% chance that they will scare up a
murder of crows thal Hies in the air around them calling
l
out "C.Sugh ! Caught!"
Even if the character� are not found out by the
crows, they will have to make Sneak + Dex - Size rolls of
8+ to get a clear sight of the ritual without being spotted
by those attending. If eluraeters are found out either by
the crows or the ritual attendees, they will be attacked
by a formidable- force. Getting back to the faerie circle is
the safest course of action.
If they spy after the ritual, having the alarm
sounded on them only means that they will � attacked
by a few silvc:r wOIYe$ and imps, enough lo make them
If\
. ..
fight and let them know what they're up against, bul not
so many that they're a real threat. A silver wolf or two
charge in from diff-en:nt directions, eager for a kill, wllile
imps gather at a distance until there are several of them

••• fA£111ES: A Complete Handboo� of the SeeUe

before attacked m �. Once these opponents are of this forest, bul Be\lantia is mainly concerned with
defeated, the characters will be safe, unless they spend a throwing a good party for her guests. Continue the
great deal of time snooping around and/or talking 5torytelling. initiate a few faerif'<haracter conversation�,
amongst themselves. A few imps wiU watch 1hem horn peolta.ps have Bellantia ask the characte1s to think up a
a distance, and eventually Ciertina will arrive after game for everyone to play, and encourage the characters
gathering a strong fighting force. to confer with each olher as they try to deal intelligently
Fighting in the forest in the dark during winter with the faeries.
is tricky stuff. Apply these modifiers:
two extra botch rolls
Character Options
-4 on Attack rolls with pole axes, halberds, etc.
• Question Hemwne about why he said that
-2 on Attack rolls with other weapons
they would die if they stepped out of lhe: faerie ring
-2 on Fatigue roUs (provided they did indeed leave the ring and survived).
When they investigate the ritual site, the charac­ He says •�Thnt's wlaal bri"gs fear to you mortals, right?
ters will sec Lady BeJ!antla's fingernail clippings, which Dealh.7 I tried to w.se tha.t lfllld"I ftrn' efyours Ill keep yQu I"
Hcrmone provided, on lhe throne rock, bul there are no thtfank ring. I was i;efrliidfer your Mfely. ••
other physical signs of the ritual. The clippings will •Talk to the Lady about wha.I happened
disappear at dawn if they remain on the stone. during the night She replies,
••P/� try to tnfa>Y our littlefestival. Not all that
The llltual lulppens in thtse waod$ is pleQSfng lo the lu»rt, 11rul I would /J('
an ungracious host lo bu1dm you wilh news IhaI does nol
Every night. Ciertina gathers the Witches of co11Cer" you.''•
Dank.mar to peotfonn the ritual of Deepening Night.
If pressed for Information, she says,
They gather in a circle around the Oat rock that serves as
Bellantia's throne during the day, and which also serves •·You would 11/so be ungracious to force sad UJ{n'ds
as Ciertina'� center of power at night. Hermonc comes from rny tnouth. �.
out of the tree he w<?nt into at dusk and offers Lady She will not discuss the Dark Lady's ritual.
Bellanlia's fingcmail clippings, which are neressary for 8111 other �cries are likely to overhea.r the
the ritual, to Clertina. It is obvious that he i5 wry fearful chara.cti."J'S' attempt to get information, and lhey will
of her. Then the Witches or Dankmar begin their want their help. The faun will take one or more char11c­
thanting. whllc Ciertina sings and Hermone skulks back ters aside, out of sight and earshot of the Lady's Court,
to his tree. Al midnight, the light of the moon shines and here Ihey ex.plain that the days art' still getting
forth from the flat stone (and reflects off the ice on all the shorter even though it Is lime for them lo begin getting
trees), and the ritual is complete. l'he next day will be longer again. He begs the characters to do what they
shorter than the one before it. As the characters have can to stop the ritual and assurC11 them that lhe Lady will
oome just after the winier solstice, the da� should be be very plc.ased with them if they do so. Have the
getting longer again, but within this rame forest, the faeries choo5e characters who have been less iltvotvOO in
dayt1 are getting increasingly shorter. Eventually, the the story, so those players have something important to
day would become only half an hour long or so. If the do.
ritua1 is interrupted, the 11ext day will be longer as
•Ask Lady 8ell;1ntia !or matt glfb by which to
N11ture tries to right herself.
protect thrmselves &om the Dark Lady and her min·
Ions. She says she will grant what she can to them
bcfol'C' night falls. As twilight nears, she gives a gift or
Dawn
two from the list of Bellantia'9 Gifts (see below), which·
As the gray sky abol't' the eastern horiwn ever ones you think arc appropriate. She gives special
slowly turns pink, the dark sha� that move about the gifts to those who have shown themselves especially
woods stop and sink mysteriously into the ground. good company during the party, guch as any who
During the twilight, al first the forest is silent, tht-n the played an instrument for the faerle5 to dance to. A few
birds begin to chirp and stng. and finally the daylight minor gifb are more than enough, unless the characters
lacries climb out of their trees. are definitely outclassed by the dark faeries.

Second Day Party

On the second day, the characters can start to Most of the day is taken up in song. dance,
understand what is happening between the two Ladles stories, games and feasting. The characters can partici·
pale however they want, and the rcv('iry should be ad

CHAPTER TEN: The Shortest Day 127

libbed as appropriate. Choose a faerie or two, and feel going to be dangerous, but for the tun-loving faeries, a
free ID invent some of your own, to play out more fully, duel means a con test to see who can put on the best
and have these faeries involve themselves with the show. Onre lhis aspect of the duel is made dear, the
group more than the others. wizard should have no qualms about aoo:pting.
U � charac!ers eat or drink faerie food or wine, The mortal wiz.ard gt•e:s first, as Siamoscl
have them roll on the Faerie Food O.art. explains lhat she is new at magic and wants an example
Be sure to involve those characters who would to copy. The mortal magus is expected to cast some
otherwise be outside of the action. If a certain character showy spell to delight the onlookers, and Siamosel will
"limply wouldn't get involved, haw the player mleplay try to match it For each spell that Siamosel casts, roll on
one of the faeries. Whatever you do, let the game rules the chart below. If the spell is nature oriented, Siamosel
slip during the festival and try to gt.'! �e in a "lets gets a bonus of up lo +3. If it is anIi-faerie in any way.
have fun'" mood. The liben.I employment of Whimsy she gets a penalty of up to -5 and �tra botch rolls. She
Cards or Storypaths is certainly advised. may refuse to try to duplicate any SJX"ll lhat Lady
Bellantia would find offensive.
After seVt'1'1ll spells, or after any disaster of
The Arrival of Sir Penalre Siamosel's, the contest ends, and the audience chooses a
At some point in the day, one of the faeries yells, winner. Play it by ear. If the wizard has bee•• a per­
''Look, look, it's Penaire! He's come back.'' The faeries fonner in addition to being a spell-caster, he or she Is
(and the characters, no doubt) tum to see a three foot liicely to win.
high faerie knight riding toward the party atop a mid­ Siamosel's Spells
si:i:ed buck. He carries a lance from which files a bright
Roll Effect
blue pennant. All the faeries but the lady and Hennone
run and fly to Penalre, greeting him with laughs and botch Disaster, possibly life-threatening
shouts, welcoming l1im into the Court. 0 Sputtcr, fi:i:z, pop, but no effect
When he comes in, he regally 2gn1e•el5 the lady, 1-3 Small version of the spell, with a strange
and then asks her, in a voice meant to be overheard: side effect.
•"My pttdous lady, why ito you stain your celelml­ 4-6 Passable bt1t inferior vffllion of the spcll
tifms by suffering the premra ofiron·forgers, of trtt-ldllers, of 7-8 Equal version of spell, with extra side
prayv-"'4ktr.s. of nwrtalsl"•
"'"'
�dy Bellantia com!Tlilnds Sir Penaire to aC01'pt
9+ Glorious. showy, exciting version o! the
the characters as friends at thiS J'.l'thcring. After that, he
spell, a show-stopper
tn:ats them honorably, but he makes no move lo gt'l lo
know them. U p1cssed for ronversatlon. he will become
very annoyed with the cha�. If they ever make fun
of him lx!causc of his size, he b«omes enraged and
Viarocbe's Offer
challenges the insulter ID a dire]. 'The tiny sprite Viaroche takes an interest In one
If the characters by to get Penaire to join them in of the characters. He is inquisitive, jovial, eneigctic, and
their journey to Lady Ciertina's land, he looks very glwn as fun-loving as even a faerie can get. He will try to
"
and saY" -�r amnol i<Jln yow. • A faerie who sees or interest the character in various games, such as tag and
bears about this explains that Lady Ciertina has stolen hide-and-seek. He also appreciates simple tricks and
Penaire's heart, that she wears it in a bag around her jokes.
wrist, and that she will destroy it if he enters her land If ii fits the story, Viaroche will quietly offer to
again. Destioying his heart would kill him, naturally. come with the characters to the "twisted land of the
At one lime, he used to do battle with her bitter Lady Ciertlna." The charactl'rs might not appm:i­
regularly, and now waits helplessly for the time when ate the magnitude of this offer, but other faeries who
she will casually kill him or perhaps try to force him to hear of ii will gasp in surprise and fear. Many of them
do her will. will tum toward Lady Bcllantia as if to see what she
would think, but none of them will tell her what they
have overheard. If the characters acwpt, they will have
The Wizards' Duel a valuable ally with them, but they will also bt' risking
the life of a delightful little sprile.
During this day, Siamese!, a blue sprite, chal­
lenges one of lhe wizards in the party to a wtzards' duel, If Viaroche offers and the characters accept,he will
and the other faeries ridicule the character if he or she hide until all the olher faeries have gone into their bees,
declines. 1l\e character likely chinks that the duel is and then will join the characters in the faerie ring \\'hen
the sun scts.

... PAe111£S? A Complele Ha:ndbooiz of the Seelle

 Spying also lets lhe characters see that there is
The Second Nil!ht an ambush being laid for them. Detection spells or
Vlaroche's aid will do the trick nicely.
Onre again. the faeries quiel their festtvltles as
the sun nears the horizon and slip into their tree; as It Ullimately Ciertina has an extensive supply of
sett.. Hermone will make ce1lain that the characters Imps and silver wolves 10 throw at the l'haracters, glven
retreat to a distance, since he doesn't want them to see time to gather them from throughout the forest. They
him come out of hi& tree and join the dark faeries. should realize that they arc on her home ground, and
If Viaroche is with the party, he becomes very that trying to stand up to her attack is very dangerous.
scared. He will spe1ad. most of his time in lhe left ear of
the per.ion he has befriended, but then that characll!r
Vlaroche's Aid
cannot wear a helmet that covers the ear.
To the characters, it will seem that this night is Viaroche can sroul ahead for the players, very
much like the one before {provided they were not handy for giving them just the information you want lo
spotted then), but the traitor Hermone will tell the Dark glve them for the story's sake. He is especially handy at
Udy that there are mortals about who may try to stop first when he can report that there are imps and wolves
her ritual. Hennone would like to see the charactcis waiting in ambush for the charac1e1s and describing a
slain since they are the ones most likely to endanger his safe path around the enemiee. He might also be able tn
position. lnvestigale the ritual and see that Hermone is the traitiir,
but only if Lile characiers won't be able to see it for
Within the re.Im of 1 Jsnn, try to orchestra� this
themselves. lrs more effective for the story if they see
night so that it will be a climactic battle in which the
Hennone with their own eyes.
characters discover that Hermone is the traitor.
Unfortunately, Viaroche is weaker than normal
during the night, and he risks being snatched up by a bat
Ciertina's Stra� or bird each time he flies to investigate something. The
first time he Ries away, a bat nies past the charactels in
Cie1ti1ia's strategy depends on what she knows.
the same general direction Viaroche went. 11ris should
If the characters were not caught outside the (aerie ring
remind them how dangerous spying can be for the little
la5t night and If they move toward the court just after
sprite.
sundown. Oertina will not worry aboul them (though
she docs know of them), thinking they wil1 no! leave the Each time Viaroche spie5 out an area, roll a die
faerie ring. H they were in a fight on the first night, and compare it to the ease factor you set. Make the Cil5IC
Ctertina will be prepared for their retum, and will have factur2, 3, or 4 (or higher if that suits your fiendish
imps hiding in Mallow pits and behind trees between purposes). If he fails lo meet or beat the eaSC' factor, the
the ritual site and the faerie ring. Silver wolves will be i:haracters hear Viaroche squeal out the name of thc:o
around a hill off to Of!(> side but n.-ady IO race in when character befriended and that is lhe last they see or hear
the alarm is sounded. The ritual will proceed as it did of him.
the night before. Viaroehe can also help in a battle by alerting his
The strategy of the ambushers is to drive the friend to surprise attacks and things approaching from a
characters back to the faerie ring after possibly killing flank or the rear.
one or two or them, Oertina. wants survivon who will
spread stories of her pawer rath"r than useless corpses.
Orcbestratt� the Battle
The Characters' StrateQ:y
At some point, the- characters should be caught
If they play II right, the characters have the while 5Tieaking around, and this will signify the start of
chaoce to find out that Hermone Is the lraitor. They can the battle. Failed Stealth rolls and sucll might indicate
slay many of Ciertina's minions, but they probably being caugh I, or you can pick an appropriate lime for it
cannot harm her personally. Finding out about Her­ to """'·
mone ls sufficient lo counter the ritual, as he will then no To keep the battle moving, there's no need to
longer be able to provide Ciertlrta with the finge11oail know where all the imps. and wolves are at each mo­
clippings she needs. Unfortunately, the characters also ment. Rei1e111btT that there are lots of th!!m roaming
have a good chance ofbeing kltied if they're not subtle. ihrough the woods, and that they are disorganized b\.lt
First, they should spy instead of attack, Spying numerous. At any convenient point, a few of them
can give them the information they need lo move about might come charging out from behind some trees.
safely, and frontal a'5ault would be needlessly ha.urd­ Ciertina and lhe witches will remain a1 the ritual site
aus. Cautious characters should reconnoiter a blt before lhroughoul the battle unless somehow O\'C.'lpowered. If
attacking an unknown fo1re. lhe battle becomes too long and the play� know that

CHAPTfQ TEN: The Shortest Day 129

Hennone is the traitor, speed things up by throwing a
massive imp horde at them, or by inventing some Point Value Activity
hideous creature called up by Oertina thal chases them 1 For each character who participated in
bad. to the faerie ring. Viaroche's pleading ran also the festivities
hurry them back to the faerie ring if that helps pace the 1 For each character who ale and drank
action. faerie food and wine
Pt.ayers often dislike having their characters run 2 For each notable perfonnancc (stoiy,
from danger, even though it Is the most logical slep to dance, game, etc.)
take in the3C circumstances, so make It easier on lhem by 4 For bringing Sir Velgan:le along
�
giving them on<! last set of combatants fight. while
. 12 For revealing the traitor
they flee. For inlltance, if a huge mob of unps 1f chasing
5 For rescuing Penalre's heart
them u they head back to the ring. set a small group of
I for every act of kindness
Imps in the way so lhry r:.an defeat thiS5l'naRCT band and
feel like their last combal was a vidl'lry rather lhan a -I For each rude inddl?ttl
rout. -4 If Viaroche dies in the Dark Lady's land
-1 to -5 For destruction of bees (such as by fire
spells used at night)
The Third Day varies For gifts already given (subtract point
value of gifts)
On this day, the characters can reveal to Lady
Bellantia who the traitor in her Court is. At first she will character of wounds incurred fighting the Dark Lady'5
not believe them, but when she see's Hermone cringing minions, even grievous wounds.
and almost in tears, she looks down at him for a time, 1 /day Te;w:hlng - Lady BcllanUa will explain
solemnly nods her head, and summarily banishes him the ways of racries, worth 2 experien«' points in Faerie
from the forest. (lne characte1s may meet him someday Lore per day. Lady Bcllantia mighl be able to teach
wand<.'ring the outside-world, stripped of his faerie other things as well.
powers.) With this knowledge, she can protect herself
1 Oak Led -This is a magical leaf, and it gives
from th\? Dark Lady, stop the completion of the ritual,
the possessor the power to shelter lhree people from the
and eventually restore her land 1u beauty. However,
weather {sun, rain, snow, etc.) for twelve hours, It may
since the festival is over, It Is time for the guests to leave,
be used while travelling. but does not make the terrain
and the faeries do not avoid making this clear.
any easier to pass (i.e. the :mow blocking a passage slill
prevents travel). 'The leaf disappca� after the twelve
Gifts hours pass.
3 Romance - Lady Bellantia will allow a charac­
UdyBellanlia is probablygratctul lo the ter to pay suit to ht:!r, and will dole uPon hHn in return.
characters and gives them various gifts ifs a reward. H 1he character has sufficient charm and social grace, it
Give gifts that flt in with the theme and scope of your could develop much further. This could incur the wrath
Saga and with the Idiosyncrasies of your characters. If of Sir Velgarde.
you U5e some other game system than Ars Magica, you
1 Sun Berry - If you throw one of these small,
may have lo alter the powers of !he gifts we lisl below.
golden berries into the air, it will floal
there for an hour,
These gifts are not simply laid out on the table, shedding gentle but thorough light in a twenty foot
and the characters are allowed lo choose, Lady Bcllantia radius. Usableonce.
will offer a number of things. in her own gentle way, 2 HcrRingofCopper- Anyone who calls
thanking each character for their help. She will offer Bellantla's name while wearing this ring will vividly
each character something she thinks lhey desire (your remember her beauty and kindness, granting the charac­
call), and if they decline, she will offtt them something ll"I' strength of heart, which translates as +3 on rolls to
else until they do accept. Evef}' character will get at resist fear, mental domination, despair, etc. A character
least one gift, even If it is only an oak leaf. who overuses this power might develop a dCQf! longing
The number and value of gif
ts given depend on to return to Bellantia and serve her, Only the pnson IO
what the chara,.te1s have done. Each relevant activity whom Bellantia giVPS tha ring can u:K" this power, and
hasa point value associated wilh it. Add up these j:he power does not work In the Dominion. She has only
points and choosc gifts whose scores add up lo this total one.
{give or take a few point:;),
3 Crown of Mistletoe- The wearer will not be
attacked by any animal unless the wearer first attacks
THE GIFTS that animal. The mistletoe will stay fresh unl�s kept for
a long time in the Dominion.
1/person Hn:ling - Lady Bellantia will heal a

130 fumES: A Complete H;:11ndboolt of lhe Seelle

 4 Greater Healing - She touches and heals a Daylight faeries
character of an old wound, such as a missing hand or
ear. Do nol do this if it will ruin the character's image. Encountered
5 Branch of Transformations - By striking an
object or being with this branch, one can tum it into
50mething else. The character must choose the new Bellantla, the Lady of the Sunlit Grove
shape, sr:ak a simple poem (at least two line&) about the
transformation, and strike the target with the branch. This beautiful maiden is as tall as a human, lithe,
l1rls has the transforming power of up to a 30th Level and fair, dressed in a flowing, shimmering, sliver gown.
spell, such as turning a per50n into a badger. The effect She is the epitome of good grace and fine manners, she
is permanent. The branch remains alive (and grows is a regal faeries of the noblest 50rl. Lady Bellantia has
leaves in spring, loses them in fall, etc.) until it is used many great powers which she rarely uses but that would
three times, and then it dies. Bcllantia has two of l:hese. serve her well if she were directly threatened.
6 Stag's Heart- This heart is to be exchanged
with that of one of the characters. Lady Bellanti.a will
Faerie Might 38
summon an enormous white stag with a huge rack of
Size -1 Int +2
antler.; and officiate over the ritual that will exchange
the two organs; the stag's heart for the character's heart. Gracious +5 vs. Vulgar -7
The stag's heart provides the character with great A(t of Kindness, 1 - Whenever Lady Bellantia
bravery (+3 to Brave rolls), a supernormal ability to leap bestows any sort or kindne515 upon her subjects or
and jump (add +5 to appropriate rolls), and a mighty guests, the per50n involved will fee[ especially blessed
endurance (+3 to all endurance rolls). What's more, and self confident, and for the remainder of the day has
whenever the character is in great need and is in or near double their effe\:tive self confidence.
the forest, the stag-kin who now possesses his or her Roleplaying tips: When roleplaying her, make
heart may come to the rescue. At some point, however, your gestures slow, gentle and graceful; U5e' your wrists
the character may feel a strange need to come to the and hands a lot.
stag's aid as well.
8 Great Cudgel of Smiling the Wicked - A two­
handed oaken cudgel with magical properties. Its basic Hermone, the Lady Servant
scores are Speed +5, Attack Bonus +5, Damage +10,
A four-foot human-like faerie with a squat torsti
Protection +3, Str 0, Load 1, and Space 3'. Against dark
but disproportionately long arms. His nose is long and
faeries, it docs double damage, and against other things
reddish, and his cheeks arc rosy but crumpled and pock­
that would be seen by Bellantia as wicked or vicious, it
marked. He wears a blue tunic and pantalCXJru; ofbright
does +5 damage. One's ability to use this weapon equals
one's two-handed mace scores. On command, it can green. A cap with a large, wlrite feather is al\vays on his
head. His voice is high and sharp.
grow into a giant oak tree, but ii cannot revert to the
cudgel form. The owner can direct the growth of the Hermone is the faerie of the night who was
tree to make roots shatter pavement and branches break taken by the mortal midwife and left in the land of the
walls and such. She has only one of these. daylight faeries. He is acting as a spy for Ciertina. He
loves Lady Bellantia, but he fears that, should she find
out his true origin, she would cast him from her Court.
Lady Dellantia and Ciertina has threatened to reveal his proper station if he
does nol help her gain more power, and Hermonc
Future Stories would rather serve Lady Bellantia while betraying her
than not serve her at a!!. He is, aflcr all, a dark faerie at
Now that the characters have made friendly
heart.
contact with Lady Bellantia, they can return repeatedly
to her ColUt. Her home in the forest can become a kind
of delightful hidden sanctuary deep in the forest, a Faerie Might 8
wonderland where they can occasionally escape the Sire -2 Int -1
rigors of the adventuring life. Bellantia can be a source
Deceitful +6 vs. Honest -5
of valuable information, adventure opportunities,
strange magical items, and unique roleplaying opportu­ Fat n/a Def +6 Soak D"
nities. Body Levels: -1, -5, Incapacitated
Of course, there is always the night to survive as � Tron weapons do +SOo/o damage to Hcrmone.
well. Ciertina is not likely to be forgiving.

CHAPTEll' TEN: The Shortest Day '''

 Rolcplaying tips: Make your actions very Siamosel. the \Vizard Sprite
diJferenl than the other faeries of the day - you are
crude, rude and rath<!r ugly. You pick your nose, often 1Wo-fttt high with butterfly wings, clotW of
forget to close your mouth while you eat, and always shifting colors, and a small magic wand. She is leeming
hunch your shoulders. how to cast better and better spells with her wand, and
she will take interest in the magi of the party. Each time
she casts a spell, she loses 1 poinl of Faerie Might for the
Zacarus, the Lady's Spo�esman te5tof theday.

Portly, five-feel tall, and cheerful, dressed in

bright clothes with ruffs and a few bells. His personality Faerie Might 17
is haJf clownish and ha1f dignified noble. He has a Size -3 Int +2
bronze sword .at his side, and could put il to good use if
he needed to.
Slr Penalre. the Tiny Knilfht
Faerie Might IS Though he is only three-feet lall, he hits regal
Siu- ·1 Int 0 bearing and an imp1essive demeanor. 1'hel'c is no hi g
t n
comic about htrn. He will defend the Lady's honor by
Regal +4 vs. Silly +2
word and by sword, Sir Penaire is immune to all magic,
Sword: 1st +3 Atk +7 Dam +7 unless a part of his body is held by the spell caster. His
Fat n/a Def +8 Soak +s� annaments are made of a brilliant-hued br0ru::e. His.
Body Levels: O, -3, -5, Incapacitated sleek stag steed, Ferimerc, ill unhesitatingly loyal lll'ld
obcdiel'lt to him.
• Iron weapons do +50% damage to Hcrmone.

Faerie Might 20
Roleplaying lips: Always swell your cht'Sl and
be full of ynu�f. Sire-2 11'11 +l
Sword: First Strike +6 Attack +9 Damage +12
Fatigue +5 Dert-nsc +8 Soak +6a
Viaroche the Sprite
Body Levels.: 0, -1, ·3, -5, Unronscious
He is the size of a bee, and his l:l'aNparent wings
"' +50% damage fnlm iron & steel
create a soft buuing sound when he flies. He is very
encrgetlc and friendly. Though he speaks in a whisper,
his voice is quite loud. Other Faeries of Daylilfht
Faerie Might 6
Also attending the celebration are various
Size -.S Int 0 faeries of all shapes. Some look like large butterflies or
Fat n/a Def +14 Soak er ooloriul birds. So= are Daoine Sidhe (sophistie11ted
Body l..cV<'ls: None, any damage destroys him. and wise), while some arc nymphae with 5alin wings.
They interact wilh the characters however you wish.
• 11\e touch of an iron weapon. even if Soaked,
Tty' to develop one or two additional personalitin ol
destroys him.
your own to lhmw inlo the fray whenever things slow
down or gather idMs from the Bestiary chapter.
Marnice, the inexperienced faerie
She is a sprite about two feet tall, garbed in a
light, flimsy, g1ce11 tunlc. Dragonfly wlngs sprout from
her back.
The Moonll{lht l'aerles
She- is very curious about the mortals and not Encountered
skilled in the deceitful ways of dealing with lhem.
Faeries have to censor her words and actions around
mortals, and Mamire hasn'I quite leamOO this yct. Give
Clertina, Lady of the Benil!hted forest
anyone who Sf ·airs to her for any length of time an
expeii� point in Faerie I.me. Also, make up some She rules !he night woods, and now, thanks to
tidbits of gossip about the Court lo pass along. the help of the Witches of Dankma.r, shl! is gaining
power over her arch-rival, Bellantia.
Faerie Might 4
Size -3 Int -2

132 FAERIES: A Complete Handboolit of the Seelle

 She is a tall, thin, pale woman wearing a flowing do lhis up to six times per round (once per second). She
black robe, trimmed in silver. Her footsteps make no cannot use the same ttte she came out of to lake her nexl

sound and 9he bas a habit of tightly clenching her hand5 seep. Those wa\ching hersee her walk behind a tree,
tagether. Move with short, harsh motions when you then walk out from behind another tn:'e, walk behind
mleplay her. another nearby tree, and then walk out frol'll behind a
1ne ha:iel leaves the characrers have protect fourth tree still farther away. She uses this trick lo escape
them from her magic. Otherwise, they would be dead al or lo sneak up on opponents.
her hands in a matter ol seconds. She Is extremely Shape of the Wolf, 5- If desperate, she can tum
powerful, and one of the most magical of all the faeries. into a silver wolf to escape.
Tied around her left wrist is a small leather bag All of her more aggressive powers arc protected
containing Penaire's heart. A dramatic and daring against by the hazel leaves.. You may wish to have her
character might succeed in snatching It from her. try to cast some nasty spells at the characters, and be
The numbers listed for her powers are the poinlS surprised when they fail.
of Faerie Might tcn1purarily Jost when the spell is cast.

Tbe Witches of Danlzmar

Faerie Might 35
The5e old women, mortals all, an! helping
Size -1 Int ..
Ciertina cast the ITl<lgic spell that is making night in­
Calculating +4 vs. Impulsive 0 creasingly longer instead of shorter. They are highly
Powers: magical, hilt they have little strength to help in a physi­
Ol!flttt Wood, 1 - Instantly, al will, she can deflect cal fight They are evil through and through. As long as
.

any wooden weapon, including arrows In flight, so they all seven of them are together, they can perform their
veer harmlessly to one side. She uses 1 Faerie point per
various Chants, but as soon as one is threatened by
weapon. imminent altack, hit with a spell, or so on, they will
disappear in smoke and a dap of thunder to some
Invisible Sttide Among the Trees, 1 She can
-

dlstanl place of safety.

walk behind or into one tree and immediately walk oul
from behind another up to seven pares away. She ran

'
. "
'

--

CHAPTER TEN: The Shortest Day 133

 They are all exceedingly aged, with deep Faerie Might 8
wrinkles, toothless mouths, and gray hair. They are Size -2 lnl ·1
draped In ragged clothes of black and brown. The Knife: Isl +6 Atk +6(+7)• Dam +9
characters will most likely never see them move about,
Dodging: Fat +2 Def +6 (+9)" Soak +1"'
as all they typically do Is stand and chant They were
once serfs but now live In the deep forest togelhirr in a Body Levels: OK, -1, -5, Unconscious
musty cave. They seek togain power over those they • Higher number for when the imp uses the Steiillhy
hate. The characle1s, as a NSUlt of this story, may wcll .. ..
......
fall into that category. "' +4 damage fro111 iron &:: steel
Powers:
Wltrhly Might 28 SWalthy Sidestep, 1 Faerie Poinl- The imp
Size -1 Int +2 appears to be a foot or two from where it really is. It
""1< -2 works on as many people as lhe imp cares to affect, and
costs 1 Faerie point per round per person affected. In
Body Levels; OK. -1. ·3, -5, Unconscious
melee, this advantage gives the imp +3 on Def and +I on
Powers: Atk. Those affected suffer -4 on missilt' weapon rolls
Chanl ofBllDling, 2 points each pet round - lfa against the imp.
battle is raging near them, they chant a monotonous
series or nonsense syllabics. Each round, they focus
their attention on one of the characters, who is then hit Silver Wolves
by the ill effecl.5. All can hear the chanting in the back­ These fierce beasts are Cicrttna'9 major fighting
ground, but the one on whom the malignant power ls force. They fight without fear and completely without
focused can hear it pounding in his or her ears. The
mercy. On� one has made a kill, it stops for one round
heart of the targcrs body feels like it is burning, and th!! (if it is not bcing attacked) and howls. Their purple eyes
hands. fl!el, and 5J)ine tingle, but no actual damage is reflect no light. Once they are killed, water pours from
done. The target mu51 make ii Sim roll, and if they do their wounds and the characters may disc:ovtt that their
not get an 11+, they drop e-verylhing they carry, fall lo hearts are made of ice. Uthe hearts can be prevented
ground, and writhe in pain for two rounds. from melting, they are worth 3 Ani�l vi5 each (wizards
Chant of the Wheel ol Flames, 3 poinls each per and alchemists would pay well for th�ml
round - The witches can fonn and control a huge
floallng wheel of flames, thirty feel in diameter, which
spins slowly and has thirteen spokes. When it is first Faerie Might 12
fomu:'Ci, it is over 100 fa'! In lhe air and it will lake at Size 0 Cun 0
leut three rounds until It can come- to lM ground on top Bite: Isl +5 Atk +6 o..m +R
of the characters. The names only hurl living. breathing
Fat +4 Def +7 soak +�
matures; trees, plant5, clothing and all accoute-1u1e11ts
will be unharmed. Any person engulfed in the flames Body Levels: 0, �1, -3, -5, !ll<."apadlaled
takes +20 damage per round. The flames can never gt't � +50% damage from iron & s�l
c]OS('f than I foot to the ground, so if a person Iles flat,
they can avoid being injured.
The Host
Crows, dark shapes in the dbtance, giant bolts,
Imps and dusky elves wander around through the dark. They
Most of Ciertina's 1JUbjects ;11rc stunted, misshapen are not part of the RituaJ of Deepening Night, and they
imps of wildly varying features. Almost the only thing are not particularly intetested In the characten;, but they
they have in common is that they aft' vaguely human a.dd a bit of color, fear, and unknown to the setting.
looking and tend to be ugly. The llnps have gray to
green skin and wear poorly tailored black linen do thing.
They fight with large (for them) tamishf'd., bronu
knives. but they are not stalwart wa:niOB. Any tmp rMNMiglot
struck by Iron will certainly flee rather than stick around U5t' tht-F� Might SCl1r15 for magic rtSistlmce
for more excruciating pain. If they botch their Attack rol& and magic poietnm<m rol&. If 11 �s Mighl
rolls, their brittle knives break. is reduced lhrough spdl-use, the resislancestaysat
the nuulmum level while lhe penttmlion bonus drops
to tM level of remaining Faerie Might Points.

134 f.WZIES: A Complete Handbool:I of the: Se:elie

 Chapter Eleven: A faerie
Treasure

The Golden Ship

The ship rQ//ed slighlly on lhe gently tossing W<lt>t>S. Mist tumbled
over the foredeck as Sien slag,l{ered lo regain his balance. When that failed, he
slumped again.�/ the forecastlr and belched. With a bottle of rum c/u tched
slro11gly in this right hand, he st11red out across the sea loW<1rds the m11in/tlrnl.
Fog obscured his view a11d brought a l1eW TJJ4Ve of nauseii. Crawli11g toward
!he railing, S/en's relierring of Iris stomach was brought up short Slicing
.

silently through the ocean came a golden praw 11ngling direclly fer TM Queen's Rer>enge, /lie
goldai drago11 head screumed out a silent challenge, 1111d the striped, sqriare mai'1.'Jail ri11Pled in a
noneri.�1,.,,t !>r�C- His scream was si/mced as an Q'rrow took him in the thriial. pitching hi111 into
the ocean. The Norman ship shuddered as the ghost ship collided with ii. Icy water poured
lhrough the breerh in the hull a.s the silent UJQITion; of the a/lacking ship /�pl lo the d«k of The
Queen's Rei.'t'nge, their skeletal hands g1i111i1 ng ancient weapons of bronze, the /mlher of /heir
armvr crurked with agl!. In a few minules ii wus Ot•a. The Queen's R.evt!lrge slowly slipped
benealh lire sm's frigid waler>, and the waiies silenced the screnms of dying so/dim.
An old inall sat amidsl the rui11S. He had .�een the ghost ship 1natfflnlize from the cliff
face, its golden decks manned by its skeletal crew. 1-fe had seen lhe unholy g/11w in the captain'�
l!!fe5 a..• iis [rue W<IS lit by the ruby light fr11m the g•m mo1inted where the Iii/er sh1•11/d ltuvc been.
He had chuckled lo himselfwhen those Norman bastards had gone to Iheir grm,e;. Yes, he had
seen i:vrry glorious detail of it. He thanked whalever gods had called him .forth 11> see this f>PC'C­
lacft, Jt had not been of his f!Wll volition thal he !11.1d ,11ade thearduoU5 ;ournry from Ballyswag;
arduo11s, that is. fvr an old mall like he WQ.•. No, the t'Oiccs had whispemi t" him of the night's
�its and he hild come, struggling and. wheeUng up lhe steep cliffs- Wilh a rontt11/ed sigh. he
laid bt:ck and lei the stars guide him inlo a dt!ep sleep.
A knock on lhe d(](lr browghl Tanya from the depths of her book. The door SWullg "fJL'll lo
rroeal Ollt of the undcrlibrarians. I le handed her a 111essage in silern.·e and bai:kt'li 0111 of lhe n1m11.

C11APTE(.! ELEVEN: The Golden Ship 135

Sht 11n1t1Vtld tht scroll wilh 11 prt«lictd twisl ofhn wrist and reaso ns for seeking out the oovmant are three-fold.
rttld its secrets. A sm11e crept across herface as she rerolled First, she is exbe11iely interested Jn the goings on of lhe
and snJkd the scroll, placing it in 11 9CroH nook. The rumors magi and the reasons why a new covenant has bet.'fl
were h= thml fl looked like a ;ourney lo the magi ofAshen­ established. Second, she's also hoping to discover some
rise U1l1'; in order, for ofall the cooenanls in Hi/Jernio, the new knowledge, so she can incrca.St' the library whl!tt­
young magi ofAshen�vme the most likely lo llCI upon hu she works. Her final reason is a book she has uncovered
infomwlibn. Vigil and Cirrulu-; Ruber Wert loo sedmlllry which holds references to the final n$ting plare of
and Mn-init1oe111Wnistit: ta hdp, Elk's Run was pro-Norman, Sverik the Blue's hoard. On the condition of being
Wmt.rd WRS ton 11gg"5Sivt and violent, and Cliffhesrl WQS allowed to copy any of the rovenant's library books
reputed to hold diabolisls. No, it woufd lurve lo be Ashtnm. which she finds interesting and bcing able to examine
With 11 swish ofher robes, Tanya left lhe room lo begin her any of Sverik's treasure that the magi recover, Tanya
plQns for lhe Irip across Hibmtia to Donegal. will reveal what she knows of the final l't'!lting place of
Sverik's hoard.
�The Golden Ship'' was designed (or use with one or Sverik the Blue was one of the greatest seamen
two magi, one or !WO companions, and five to six grogs. and raiden to ever grace the Viking nation wilh his
Death will probably take its toll in thls story. The story presence. His deeds of daring take up most of the book,
takes place in lreland around the beginning of the 13th Including the plundering of Ireland by the Norse. Of
century A.O. H you are running a campaign elsewhere, interest to the magi are !Iv! details of Sverik's ship, for it
some of th(' details will have lo be changed. The Vikings Is said that the ship wrui made of gold and yet was
raided fat and wide, so most likely that part can stay the stronger than iron and as light as wood. II could trav­
same. The town ofBallyswag can be placl.'d along any erse the roughe5t of storms without capsizing and sail in
ocean and Malln's Head can be placed jusl down the the calmest of winds at full speed. There were even
roast of it. The Normans can become any enemy of the rumors that at times it could fly through the air, though
land where your campaign is set. The Daoine Sidhe can these are obviously over exaggerations. What befell
be replaood with elves or elf-like creatures of a magical Sverik and his raiders is a matter of conjecture. Some
nature and the Firbolgs wilh a race of giants. There is no say that they crosised a powerful demon, others say they
pressure lo complete this mission and no "right" way to were cur.;ed by an old hermit, while still others say that
do it. Let the players decide how lo go about things and the Faerie Realm got them. Whatever the ca115e, Sverik
improvi5e where you have to. and his crew disappeared from the fare of ln>land. Jn
recent years, rumor.i have flown about the return of
Sverik and his crew. It seems !hat two Nonnan ships
The Theme have been taken by a ghostly ship made of gold with a
skeletal crew. An old fisherman and a delirious sailor
The theme of The Golden Shlp is the fuar of those from one of the ships have told very similar tales. Both
who are different from you �xenophobia. Many times ships Wert' sunk north ot'Gn>encastle. The old fi5her­
we react in vicious ways to those who are different, man can be found in the fishing village of Ba.llyswag, to
often ostracWng them from society. In this story, the the north of Derry and very near to the ruins where the
people of Ballyswag react poorly to anyone who lives ship lies. The sailor died !rom exposure to the elements.
outside of their village; the Daoine Sidhe are riled up
agaln:>t the Normans, who are invading Ireland !mm
beyond; the Firbolg. Jorga, b ostracized because of his On The Way To Ballyswag
huge, hideous appearanc-e; and it may even hit home
that the characters and their covenant are given a wide As the players travel north to Bailyswag, they
berth because they aredlfkn:nt and people fear them. encounter a creature which is but a shadow of a once
In this stoiy, you should explore this theme and show proud race. This tTeature is a ba11Shl.'E' (a Numina
the troupe that you shouldn't fear the things that makt' Vigilans), what remains of a Daoine Sid he who degener­
people different, but rather leam to appreciate how ated and wandered far from the sidhe (magical enclaves
those differences make people unique and how, through where the Daoine Sidhe live). The banshee will appear
it all, people are people, no matt� what color their skin to one of the grogs as he stands watch one night, wail,
is, what nation they come from, or what religion they and flee inlo the night. The rest of the party will awaken
profess. al the sound of the banshee's wail and find the grog
staring ink! the dark with an ashen look on his face. For
the rest of the story. that grog will have lhc wor.;t of luck
The Visitor whenever possible, until the death of the unfortunate
grog. Simulate this by having the gTog milke exlTa boicll
The adventure starts when Tanya, a lihfarian in mils, having OPJX!nents attack the grog whenever there
Dublin from lhe University of St. 11ctcr's, a school for the is a choice, and basically having many unfortunate
nobility and priesthood, comes to the cownant Her

1:56 fAERIES: A Complete Handboolz ofthe: Seelle

accidents occur whenever the grog is around. May this The Daoif"ll' Sidhe, as all of Faerie-kind, arn hard to
up, for this gives the poor grog a chance lo shine In the predict and run the gamut of human emotions, from the
limelight before his inopportune demise. kindest to the most Immoral (in the human way of
thinking). They don'I understand the concept of death
and will view any human's fear of such with apathy.
Ballyswa11 However, humans of heroic proportions have aJways
Interested the Daoirw Sidhe and they often help these
Ballyswag is an old fishing village of about 50 heioes in the form of services or magical items. Usually,
people, located a half a days hike from Malin's Head
these items or gervlros require the he1oes to perform
and thE' Dao;nE' SidhE' mins. TherE' l� an inn in thE' tClwn some sort of task, 1est, or quest. The DaoineSldhe havt>
which services the fl.she•''"'" and the rare traveler who magical powers beyond lhe ability of most magi to
romes this way. There ue two rooms available in the
comprehend, so charactm should be forewarned that
inn and most of the fishermen spend the evenings here,
they lack the ability to match the Oaoine Sidhe toe to toe.
drinking. singing and telling stories. They will be very In addition to great magical skills, the Daoine Sldhe are
cold toward "landlubbers'' and it wll\ take someone who also skilled poets and musicians and will be friendly
is ve.ry charism<ltic to persuade them to be of help. If towards any person skilled in those areas.. The great
any of the characters has seamanship-like abilitic>s, the Irish bards frequented the sidhes of the Daoine Sidhe.
fish!!rmen will welcome them and "talk shop." Anyone
The Daoine Sidhe in this story are bitter toward the
who can tell stories well will also be treated with respect invading humans and have decided to put a stop to this
and the fishermen will give what aid they can. Al about
with the Viking ship they cursed long ago. If the charac­
7 PM each evening. an old man will come in and go ID
ters can prove to them thal they will be morn adept at
his customary comer lable. The rest of the people will
repelling the invaders if they have the ship in their
give him a wide berth and all talking will stop as he
possession, the Daoin(' Sidhc will give it to them,
enters. lf asked, the people will whisper that the old
provided that they do a small favor for them (see below).
man is crazy. Anyone who talks lo the old man will
hear a slightly embellished !ale of the Golden Ship
destroying a Norman ship off of Malin's Head. If
somehow befriended. the old man will mention that he
The Ship's Resting Place
saw the ship �ii directly Into the cliff at the bottom of The ship n>Sts in a giotlo to the north and west
the Daoine Sid.he ruin&, whi�h lie on b:lp of Malin's of Greencastle. lt is IOC11ted on the sight of some old
H.... Daoine Sidhe ruins. The ruins lie upon the highest point
A middle-aged forester will be renting the other of Malin's Head, a familiar landmark to all sailors which
room at the inn and may be himi lo guide the gmup to traverse the seas from Donegal to Greencastle and
Mall n's Head. Deny. The ship rests i n a large cavcm. When the tides
are normal, the entrance to the cave can only be seen at
low tide, and then can only be entered by foot (and
The Daolne Sldhe hunched over backs) via a narrow and slippery ledge.
There is not enough room to sail a boat in. On a!flain
A sidhe of Daoine Sidheare behind the attacks on nights, when the Daoine Sidhe deem it nere&Silry, the
the Norman ships. These Daoine Sidhe have made ship can magically exit the cavern and sail the seas in
themselves the self-imposed guardians of the Emerald search of Ireland's invaders.. During other times. the
Isle and as such have takt-n upon lhemselves the duty of �hip and t.TCW wait with a patienl.'!C only undead can
keeping her shores free from invad('J'S. To this end, they manage, until someone enter.; the cave or the neic:t call
have placed a curse on Sv�ik and his crew so Ihat they from the Daoine Sidhe anives and they c:an set sail.
can defend IN-land from naval attack.
The ship is a typical Viking longboat, but is very
A sidhe is a magical place, usually found under well made and extra large (100'). (See the end of the
mounds, tu11s or rocky outcroppings. lt has no relation­ adventure for details on the Golden Ship.) It ls made of
ship to the outside world In terms of its size, being many gold and in the place of the tiller, lltcre is a ruby on a
times larger than the mound or hlll ln which ii resides. pedestal. There is a curse upon any who sall the ship. If
There are potent warding spells placed on the sidhe. so
the ship b evcr used as a means to attack any of
that itam'I be found by accidental traveller... Inside the Ireland's native inhabil.ants, then the cn'W will be
sidhe, the OaolneSidhe do not age. They also have no condemned lo man the ship in death and defeat any
need for food and drink and imbibe these as a form of Invaders of Ireland. Such is the fate that has befallen
amui;eml'nt only. The Dominion ls slowly wiping out Sverik and his crew.
the sidhes, thus the Daoine Sidhe's renewed inlcrcst in
destroying the Nonnans, who are Christianizing the
lands they are conquering.

CHAPTER ELEVEN: The Golden Ship 137

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138 fAllRll:S; A Complele Handboolz of the Seelle

Sverlll the lllue: Skeletal Warrior 2-Headed Molluslt
Size: 0 Magic Resistance: +20 Size: +4 Magic Resislance: +10
Soak: (full chain) +22 (+27 vs puncture) Soak: +10 in soft part, +30 shcll
Body levels; OK, -1,-3,-5, Destroyed Vis: body WOJlll Body Levels: OK. OK, -1, -1, -3, -3, -5, -5, Ineap
13 vl!i(Menrem) Vis: Body worth 10 points Aquam vis
Attacks: BattleAJCe(7): 1st; +11 Atk: +10 Dam: +21 Headatlacks: lst: +6 Atk: +12 Dam: +16 Def: +l
Def: +5 Special; Once every three rounds, each head can spit a
Berserk aUl'a (ReMe 20): all within 30 feet of Sverik must sticky glob of mucus at one target instead of Its
roll a simple die and on a 6+ go berserk as the virtue. nonna\ attack; Atk: +8 Dam: Victim becomes en­
They will attack the nearest thit1g unlci;s a Per+C.alm meshed within the mucus and must roll a Str roll of
personality trait roll of 7+ is rolled. Per roll of 9+ is 9.+ to get out. rr a zero or botch occurs, the victim's
needed tooome out of berserk state. This aura i5 mouth has bff-11 covered over and he will start to
constant and must be rolled fo r each round a !JUffocate.
character is within thearea of effect. Spells might
prevent the aura hum working and everyone with Once the mollusk has been bypassed, Ute tunnel
resistance gets a chance to resist the effects. continues for another 100 fuet until it opens up into a
Also, when Sverik is sailing the ship with the ruby tiller, taige underground grotto. lhe ship will be resling
all a ttackers must Jf5isl a ReMe spt'll of SOth level, or along the far side of the undeig1ound la.kc fo1111Cd here..
ignore his presence. 'flds is part of the curse and The crew of the ship stands at the ready but will makc­
assures that the ship doesn't fall out of thl.' Daoine no moves to attack the characters unless they are at­
Sidhe's hands. tacked first. The characters can defeat Sverik and his
crew if they wish, but it will get them no closer to
Sverllt's Crew: 15 slzeletons obtaining the Golden Ship and it will renect badly on
them when they deal with the Daoine Sidhe later on.
Siz.e: 0 Magic Resistance: +S
If lhe warding spell comes back into effect while thf'
Soak: (hvy leather) +14 (+19 versus piercing weapons) charactcr.s are in the cavern or the sidhe, they will nol be
Body Levels: OK, -3, Destioyed Vis: 3 vis each(Menrem) able to leave by the sea entrance without the Daoine
Attacks: Hand Axe(3): 1st: +5 Atk: +6 Dam: +10 Sidhe's help. Therefore, lhe passage or time becomes
Dcl: +3 Important here.
Self Bow(J): Rate: +7 Atlc +S Dam: +8 Range: 120 Tiv;ore- �a large tunnel which e>o:lb ttw cavern on the
Fear Aura: Upon first meeting these creatures, everyone fat side and delv6 dctpc.- into the heart of the Sidhe. It
within sight must make a Bravery roll of 7+ or be is along this larger tunnel th;il the other guardian, a
unable to enter the combat, though Lhcy will be able Giant Spider, makes its lair. As meals are few and far
to run away if they havt.'Il'I botched or zeroed. between, the spider will be extremely aggrcssive.
REMEMBER, spider webs do NOT bum well.
Remt"ttlber that skeletons can't become fatigued.
Giant Spider
The GuardJans Siu!: +4 Magic Resistance: +10
Soak: +12
The on1y way of getting into lhe cavern w� Body Levels: OK, OK, -I, -1, -3, -3, -5, ·5, !neap
the golden ship is through the sea en Iranee. Whenever
the Golden Ship leaves the cavern l('I go marauding, the Vis: Body worth 10 Perdo vis
spell loses its potency for a day after the ship's exodus. Attacks: Bite: 1st: +2 Atk: .+9 Dam; +12 &: poison
During this time, the characters can enter by the narrow {Stm roll of 9+ or take +10/md, if Stm made then
ledge, either by walking hunched over, or using a small take +4/md for five rounds)
bolt and pushing the craft along by using the walls and !'ounce: 1st:+6 Atk: +8 Dam: +6 but Dell roll of 8+
ceiling. must be made or victim becomes trapped and C!asy
Guarding the entrance is a large, magical, two­ prey for the $pider's bite. U a roll of 5+ is made,
hcadcd mollusk (think. of a glanl conch shell). The tMn onl' hand is free.
mollusk will not attack the Golden Ship, but others will Special: Tiie spider can :spray Wl."bbing at an area.
be Yvagcly resisted. It will spit at all moving targets, Chilrackf'S who make a Qik-Enc ron of 8+ can get
trying lo get them to stop moving so it can bite them out Clf the way if their escape is not blocked by
with o� ol its heads and haul thc!m into lhl' water. something. If hit, then ;j. Str roll of 1 0+ must be
made lo break through the webbing and a.n addi-

CHAPTER ELEVEN: The Golden Ship 139

 tional two rounds must be spent clearing webbing hil\ 12 times counterclockwise. Al that point, the magus
from the body or l'lse the person reccivl's ·3 to all IDllSI touch the top of the hill with the blackthorn
combat and manl'Uvering rolls. branch. A st.airway 'ooding down to the sidhc will then
become apparenL
If the spider is disposed of, the charactl'rs can
proceed unmolested the rest of lhe way into the sidhe
prope<. The Flrboll!
The characters should follow the beach to the west,
The Sldhe looking for some sign of the Firbolg the Daoinc Sidhe
said would live there. About a day's journey westward,
The sidhe of M.augrohn is the home of 30 Daoine the party will notice- very large- footprints in the sand
Sidhe. As the charac�rs exit the long tunnel, they enter leadi ng f1U11• the ocean, llP the hill, and back again
a cavern of extreme beauty. Easily a mile across, the numerous times. II the characters climb the oceanside
floor of the cavern is covered with lush vegetation and hill quietly, they will begin to hear snatches of loud, bad
the humidlty of the air will have heavily clothed charac-­ humming. Further investigation will reveal a large.
l;ers sweating within minutes Birds and animals are
. de(o11eocd man, perhaps 8 fC'Ct tall, merrily pulling
abundant. There is a switcliback trllil leading down to weeds from a poor garden, totally absorbed in his work.
the floor of the sidhc, but the characlcni will probably It would take a very noisy party to wake this poor
not have a chance to U5C' it. This sidhc has an entrance to creature from his revery.
Arcadia and the Oaoine Sidhe here keep close ll'lations This Firbolg has lived alone here by the sea for
with their peers in the Faerie Realm. almost 80 year.;, ever since his mother died, making him
Very soon after they arrive in the <'avem, the charac­ the last of his kind that he k11ows of. Jorga leads a very
lers will be approached by a party of three Daoine Sidhe, simple life, carefully cultivating his nourishment from
lwo male warriors and a woman in dark purple robes. the stony ground. Unfurtuna1ely, he is not very intelli­
The warriors all' armed with Jong spears and swords, gent and therefore even his best efforts al farming
which they keep sheathed at their sides. The Daoine produce rather mediocre results, but he manages to get
Sidhe look tired 1111d worn, much lik.E> somebody who by, supplementing his diet with fish he catl'hes In the
has slept resllessly. This has given them a very cranky surf and clams he digs from lhe sand.
altitude which will carryoV€'r in their talks with the If approached In a friendly manner, Jorga will be
characters. The encroaching Dominion, brought by delighted to have visitors and will do his best to play the
humankind, has cau9Cd a disruption in the magic which proper hosL The troupe will be invited into his crude
created their sldhe,and though il hasn't yet 5tarted to h ut and a meal of beans and clams will be- served. jQrga
desb:oy the sidhe, lhe Oaoine Sidhe that livC' here are is lonesome and will be more 1han happy to talk about
concerned. anything. He could be a useful source of information
The female leader, Danea., will tersely ask the and perhaps a lead to future adventures. Any mention
characters why they have invaded the sidhe. When the of the Daoine Sidhe will cause him 10 shake his head 11.nd
troupe explains their purpose, Da� will explain that say that then' are no more hard fa-lings on his part.
the ship is being used to 1epel the Nonnans from
Ireland. nie characters must convince the Daoine Sidhc However, if he Is attacked, he will do his utmost to
thal they could expel the Nonnans better if the ship was defend himself, even though he is not a warrior.
given lo the them. If the Oaoinc Sid he are convinced,
they infonn the cliaractcrs that the boat is th�rs, BUT
they must perform one small liefVice for the Daoine Back To The Sldhe
Sidhe. It SCO:t6 that a Firbolg has been seen in the
Uthe cha.ra£ters bring Jorga's head back to the
woods by the sea to the west and if the characters Olil
Daoine Sidhe, make :sul1! that they reg1et it by having
bring the Daoinc Sidhc his head, they will obtain cmr
the Daolne Sidhe treat the Firbolg's head like a play
tody of the Golden Ship. The Arbolg's home can be
thing and basically give the poor giant no rc5pect. Of
found by following lhe coastline.
course, the Daoine Sidhe will honor their part of the
Uthe characters ag1a to this tl'st, Dane.a will wave bargain and the characll'ls will get the Golden Ship.
her hand and all of the characters will fall Into a deep
On the Qther hand, if the characters decide to let
sleep. 1bcy will awaken on top of Malin's Head. One of
poor Jorga live and still want the ship, they will havp to
the magi will have a blackthorn branch in his hand and
take it by force - a daunting task in the least. ft seems
will remember the instructions on how to use it to re­
lhat the most likely method of obtaining the !iliip is to
enter the sidhe. The party will have lo rome to the top
defeal Sverik and his crew while they a.re oul on a raid.
of Malin's Head at midnight and traverse the lop of the
If the characlers re-enter the �idhe, they will not be able

140 fAllllJES: A Complete Handboolz of the Seelie

 The Golden Ship
Jorga, male Flrbolg
Ai mentioned previously. the ship is an exlra long
Siu: 2 Magic &sistiince: +10 Viking longboat (100' in length). fl is made of magically
Sod; (leathv dothi11g) +10 enchanted gold which is u light as wood and strong as
Body lalels: OK, 0/0.·1 /-1,-J,-5, /llCllpltlci ute4 Iron. ln order for the ship to move magically, smneone
Vis: body worth 3 vis fTerram) with magical ability must gra'P the ruby on the pedestal
Altacb: Fists(2): 1sl: +1 Alk: +4 Dam: +9 Def: +2 and concentrate on moving !he ship. It's powers and the
Gillnt Hae(J): 1st +4 AH: +5 Dam: +15 art9 needed lo use them arc:

]orgu Isn't hurling 11nyone up hmaml is twl thefiure, I. You can move the boat by controlling the
human eaHng monster tMt the Daofnt Sidhe mtike him out winds that are present naturally. (ReAu 15)
lo be. ObviOWlly the clsa!'ilCters havta moral dilemrnJJ hm, 2. The boat has a magical protection from harm
Do they kill Jorga tmtl obtain a fllbulous 11U1gica/ rutifa£t, ur (MuTe 20) so that normal physical attacks will not
does tlrtir consdDICI! gel lhe btst of I/tent tmtl tMy allow harm it and magical attacks have to penetrate a level
forga to Title? This encOW1ter rlJllly brings out Ike theme ef 20 resistance.
::renoplw/tia /orga is much differtnl from tht characters in
-
3. This power allows the controlling magus to
physiml Appearrmce 11nd yet more like th11m in a spirilUll/ calm the water in a ten foot radius around lheship.
way. whnms the DaoilfL' SUIM look more l1Ke the drmucter.; O'eA.q20J.
but I/rink in a totally differtnt way. 4. The magus who controls the boat can cause ii
wind lo be created (CrAu 25) so that the ship can sail
as if there were a stiff breeze in the sails at all times.
5. There is lhe curse on the ship that anyone
to leave with the ship, barring some sort of extreme who harms any of Ireland's native inhabitanls while
magical force using the ship will be fated to man the ship in death
and prolet't lreland from all invaders. This is a ReCo
35 and must penetrate a magi's resistanc"' to take
The Treasure Of Sverlli The Blue effect. The curse is of Oaoine Sidhc origin and will
The treasure of Sverik the Blue is still in the ship, not affect a member of thal race, bcing primarily

localed in the aft hold. 5.000 silver pennies {a multitude directed at the human invaders.
of mintages) aro loaded into a varil'ty of chesls There.
6. Finally, the ship can fly through the air(ReAu
are some books whi.:h will allow a person to learn Ship's 50) if the controlling magus is strong 1•nough in the
Navigation up to level 4. The captains logs may be a arts of Rego and Auram.
source of more advrntu� at any storyguide's whim.
Part of a book fn:imS.il Dorsai (a fabled covenant off the All these power.> are used like spells. In other
coast of France) is al!ICI in the hoard. Tt contains Lungs of words, a magus m ust have a Tech+Fonn+INT+10 equal
lhe Fish (MuAq 10), Grant Lungs of the Fish (MuAq 15), to the level of the power, or they cannot invoke it. If
Bind Spirit of the Water {ReAq 20), Summon Spirit of the they can inwke the power, they must roll
Water (ReAq 20), Pull of the Watery Crave O«-Aq 25) Tech+Fonn+Stm+dieand beat the level of the spell, or
and a new spell: else they will become fatigued at the rate of one level pt.'!"
half hour of concentration. If they beat the levi!l of the
Propulsion of the Everpresent Wave ReAq Lv 20 spell, they can control that power as long as they ran
Near, Sun. remain alert (storyguides should use good judgement
Causes a wave tocomeinto being behind the ship, hL>re). The protC'Ction of the html and the cursecannol be
allo wing ii lo be p1opelled as if ii had a full sail. The controlled.
spell tan be cancelled by the caster at will or elSC? it will
last until Sunrise/Sunset. The sfM?ll gives propulsion,
but not direction change, which must still be supplied by
a tiller.

DIAPrER ELl'VEN: The Golden Ship 141

Appendix How Magi See Arcadia:
Six Different Views
� folluwing tat is 11bri4gtd from /htftmruus lome to the cenk'r of fal!rie forests or e>r.pl(lring the depths ol
011fireries written by ArastoMell of Hor.ist Mtrinita, in lht faerie cave§.
11th antwy. Though popular. SmM of her idtrlS and lhrories Avoid ataY cosls faerie mounds, slonc circles,
today S«m vtry peculiar in light of wMt is now known iiflout and other Cf(!ated plares. Such place5 are unnatural and
tJre world offiuries. The wUArd Grimgrolh of Ho� Jerbiton lead to the unnatural realm (lf the corrupt faeries wha
has suggesled flwt it is lt«Quse, ooer lime, tM f11Uies chlVlge, are mortals and deal wilh the followers of Quendalon.
�in respo� to the changts in theowtsidt wurld.
Thm!frm, what nwy haw b«n t'flJe in Ar=;tonddl's days is Spoken at the Gathering of tht Twtlvt Tear5 by
rw longer trut todliy. One lhing is certain, the fruries 11rt
GwynA Filia of Htlg, follower of Bjomw. Gwyno /Roes in a
among the most irisautablt 11nd enigimatic subjects fer a covmant on tM edge of tht Novgorod Tribunal, She often
-wiZllrd lo study and �nently va/UJ conclus.ioris of any roams f/teforests in wolffon'r for months on end.
variety an very hJJ.rd lo come by.

The True Shape of ThlD\?S True Humanity

I have just oome from Arcadla, and frl�ds, I tell
They say we of this 1 louse hale humans and all
you, all of It is not to be hated and feared. Arcadia Is not
things human. This is untrue, we Jove humanity, but as
one place, but many. �followers of the traitor Quen­
it once was, in the golden age before the twin curses of
dalon journey to a strange and dangi.>rous place, filled
iron and church stole the magic and wonder from so
with people from long ago, and with mortals who have
much of humanity. The followers of Jerbiton say we can
become both more and less than mortal. In this place are
learn nothing of humanity from faeries this is also
what seem to be villsges of simple peasants, who can
-

untrue.. Faeries include in lheir number many humans

curse you or warp you with a single phrase. There are
who fled the coming of iron and cross to live instead in
vast and awful cities peopled by beings more powerful
the Eternal World, Arcadia. All that has been lost here is
than the most poW\!'fful magus, who play elaboraleand
still there. Uthe foolish Seekl'rs wa11tcd lru(' answer!> to
dangerous game!> with each other and may include
the origins of magic, they would lc.ive their dust cov­
"visitors" in such games.
ered tone and jOumey inlo the t"OOl 5unlight of Ar�
Avoid this place, in it your mind can be blasted
cadia. All of lhe import.in! things of the pa5t are there,
and your body can be reshaped past even our ability to
with none of the dross of modem life. When our l-lou5C,
1en!edy. and those who wish to follow us, have leamed all we
However, lhcre is another wondrous place can from this mundane world, we should journey to the
which is also Arcadia-
Thls pl.ace is the most perfect of Etema1 World to be with the others who have fled the
untouched wildemcss. In ii are trees larger than the destruction of the old ways. However, this world neffi
largest oak, and wide riven in which the water is pure not be abandoned, for it is possible to save ii yet. Noth­
and powerful. ing mortal is eternal and eventually the Dominion will
l have run in this place as a wolf and now find falter. Then we shall return as saviors to the joy and
even the most perfect mortal forest disappointing by beauty starved peoples who remain in the mortal world.
comparison. Here, no tree has ever been cut, no For the simple price of renouncing iron, we can show
meadow has evt'f felt Ihf.' bite of the accursed plow. All them how to bring lhe faerie 11nd lhe mortal worlds
the animals there, and possibly even lhe plants, are wise. closer, as they once were, and �hall be again.
Ask them for aid, and they may help you. I met a wolf
spirit there who appeared as either a wolf or a wolf-like
Paradoxia, fi\ia of Jcrga, follower of Merinita
woman. She told me that most mortals avoid this place,
Parado.xi.a lities ina srnal/ 1X1V1mant in the Pr�/
as do the corrupt faeries who appear as mortal heroes
tribunal,"'"' is cone� wilh the revival and fostering of
and mortal peasants. The land belongs only lo the pure
faera pnu:tices i:imong I� local p�asa>rtry. Sht is a �isl
nature spirits. In It we, brothi'rs and s!sters, are welcome
if we cany no Iron, start no fires, and kiTI nothing we do
in Herblim and lmtigo11m1 magic, and 11flt11 11ids receplirx
not need to survive. P'·zwnl5.
It Is never easy lo reach Arcadia, but for tho�
bnlve of spirit, this land may be reached by journeying

142 fAERll!S: A Complete Handbook oi the See1Je

 reshaping some of the covenant's grogs into more
The Potential of the fay "useful" shapes for specialized purposes, a practice he
stopped alter rerei.vif'lg thn>ats of Wizard War from two
Some lesser minds revel in the chaos and
members of House 1C'rbi ton. Resh.aping f.tcrics wi!lll his
disorder of the faeries. This kind of childish delight in next project.
simple tricks and illusions is beneath notice. However,
other more worthy minds, especially those in my own
House, see the faeries as random, frivolous, and best
aVOided.
The True form of Arcadia
I dalm this atdtllde Is a mistake. In theb" piescnt
fonn, faeries are useless, bul what they •ep¥r-:1ot is not. Whal uneducated persons call Arcadia is no less
Faeries are simply collections of vis animated by a than the zone ol Platonic objects. In the doctrine of the
sentient mind and will. These minds may be the minds Greeks, each obp:t thal we expericnre upon ow imper­
of ghosts or simply some type of naturally occurring fect sphere is merely a distorted nillection of its True
nature spirit, but that ls not important. What is impor­ Form, a perfect Object which encompasses all the
tant is that. in addition lo the obvious uses of faeries and qualities of its type in every Earthly iep1esentative.
faerie things as sources of raw vis, faeries have other Arcadia then, is the sphere of True Fonns - ea.ch ho1'SC
""" a pei:li:<t Horse, each blade of gra5S the true embodiml?nt
Just as ghosts can be summoned and controlled of Crassness. Here we see explained both the transcen·
by magic, It is probable that facrics('an .:i.lso be sum­ dent beauty of the place and its so-called Strangeness.
moned and bound. Once the proper spells are devel­ Accustomed as we arc to the sight of objects like flicker­
oped, faeries can be bound into a form useful to thl! ing shadows of their true fonns cast by f!rellght on a
magus who bound them. In this way, a whole range of wall, in seeing them for the first Hme as they are, would
spccl<lll=d rnagk"I S<lrvant" and sc;.ntlcnl tools are they not �....-m lo o••r wrQn5ly·lr"lncd <>yes to flicker and
possible. dance?
Ptlrhap5 this type of binding was done once About the place Itself we can make a few
before by gifted if untrained mortals, and is responsible deductions - all materials found there would be as thcir
for the existence or the faeries which aid some peasa'C"lts alchemical Stars and Essences, and, as Bishop Elusis says
in their labors. that Ouist is the true Panther, there would be no
My proposal !s that faeries of these type:! be panthers in Arcadia.
captured and used as sub)ects to det\>111n 1.l e what type of
:spells should be used to bind and reshape them. Once TaMelws, fillws of Sardtla. follawn af BoUgus
this has been accomplished, more pow<"C"ful raenes may
be sakoly bou11d. Taedetws lllltS in. a large aroenant In the Grmt Alps
When the rules for binding individual faeries Tribtinal. HespetW ml):!t/ ofhis time �rching C1t!!I 1nagic
1...�., ........
. .. . J.,1.,••••1,,.,J, ''"""'' ....... u..... .... ,i.....l upu•• 11...
greatest part of thismdeavor. F.aerie plares like faerie
forests are, like faeries, simply collections of vi<; af'li­
tnated by the spirits of the place. It should be possible tu
The True Nature of Arcadia
bind � spirits and so gain total control of a faerie
Faerie is the country of truth. Not the simple
place. It could then be reshaped into a magical strong­
truths known and knowable to evcryone with half a
hold of unrivaled u!lefulncss and power.
mind, but the truths that must be fought for, the illumi­
Faeries in their present fonn may bl.' anarchic nation that can never be forgotten. Illumination is found
and useless, but (aeries, and eventually Arcadia itself by reaching through the riddle to its heart. From the
can be domesticated, controlled and reshaped. This symbol, the trained mind can finally grasp the meaning
pro;ect would grant the Order of Hermes an unrivaled .
of what is signified The bare meaning ts meaningless,
amouf'll of power, and would aid all magi regardless of as the hawk can not sec what dOl'S not move. Whatever
their goals. I propose that research Into this project be has no symbol has no meaning, and in the faerie coun­
started at once. try, it is not there at all. There is nothing plain in Ar­
cadia; everything Is tQ be treasured, If you enter into the
Spoktr1 by An.d1ais,filius ofCoerw;, folkrwet of faerie country, know this - everything is a riddle.
Tremert, to tht Tm�-y/Vlinia Tribunal shortly before he went There is no riddle without a key. Answer a riddle and ii
off to 11 rtearby ftttrit. mountafn to CllJ'l!Ur� somt test swbjtcfs. bt>longs to yo11: your powet oV\>f ii is as secure ;ts- if ii
He Ms not yd �ttimed. were branded with your mark. Answer every riddle,
Andreu lived in the covenant of Coeris in the and a man becomes a god.
heart or the Transylvania Tribunal. He specialize in
Muto and Rego magic o( all kinds and is tnO!>t noted for Monslro, filiti5 of Ci:rtwi. fe/lm.wr-ofCriamon

APPENDIX: How � See Arcadia 143

Monstro's faerie Riddles Arcadia - The Losers Who
Everything exists at the same time-.
Teach
Everything that is the same is in the same place.
11.e key to a creature is its name. Arcadia is our own world. Its dtie:.areour
To go through, look through. cities, its fo.ICSls are our forests, but it is yet another
Walls have ear.;, and mouths and hands. place. remaps it is the world that onc:e was, or might
have been. Perhaps ii is a world that might be, if wars
had different victors, and kings and gods had other
Monstro's Faerie Corresoondences followers. Life ls a battle fought with dlvetse weapons

Ho"" [Igriem] leaping ftre, waves of

in patterns and for reasons we are o�en too close to see.
History is our lesson-book, lo give us a view over the
w•""
battlefields. of time!! and places past. It Is the poorest of
Dog 11n1enegol boundary marker, road
teachers to most mortals, however, for it 1eco1ds only
within a territory
the deWs of the victoTS. But the victors become losers
M•n !Menteml �
and are in their own !um forgotten, and sometimes lhe
"""" 1..,.,1 bird C%e'nCl' g> -1es1 spoils ofbaltledo not go to !hose who win. See
Feather !Auraml air the pages of history tum - the old gods, with all lheir
Rod IC6'!"""1"' blood, honey, saffron, power and wisdom, defeated by the Dominion, whose
nourishment vast extents have room to admit only one god. See the
Grom JH!!!'bam] earth, impurity, rarity, ancient peoples, with their customs, arts and sciences,
nobility, 'ummer their own histories, defeated by the new. See the Order
Circle [Terraml doorway of Hennes make one shape of magic.
Crossed/ A hundred thousand peopl�, powers, po53ibill·
change, death ties, !'a.de from our view like magi into Twilight. Too
Forked Line[Muto]
many )'ear:!I ago, I matched wits with the magi of House
BW spirit
Criamon, and heard It said that Twilight is a ch:scent lnlo
'"""' llmigonem] ore
Arcadia. U there were a plare where unbeloved gods go,
Whitt> winter, bone, purity and dead henx-s, lost ideas, forgotten rounbies, a plac:e
Alcohol IVimJ w...,. where every greal tower IOm down still stands and each
W•l« sky, milk great plan not yet made rii;es shining in the sun, where
Gold ,.. every song forgotten and hali-invcnred lyric we could
Sliver moon, pathway not bring entlrely to mind still tantalizes us, I would ca\1
Bull [Animil] """' it Aocadia.
Cow I Aq11am] w•"" And if, indeed, this place exists, it is our own
world, bey'nnd and benl.'ath us and skewed sideway' out
&11 death, silence
of recognition. If this is where magi in Twilighl go, and
into faeries tum, I would tell a tale not even those of
from 11 list by Bruno Marlin, of HoUSt Crillmon,
Merinlta kriow; a wise magus learns most from the
Monstro states that faeries are incapable o( Creo loses.
or Perdo magic, so no Ciro or Pa-do 0011cspondClla'5
are included.
Ti"5ias, filiws of Pm/ii, folluwrr of TytalMS.
MonslN WStd lo live in 1i londy lower nmr JM Orot:
ofTwisHng Slwlows. He has mJf &em SM! in twenty years,
b11t t'llmors pe1sist that magi who botch Crt0 Jmdgonmi spelh
gel itMges ofMon$tro ins�d of wlllll lhey intended.

144 FAERIES: A Complete Handbool! of lhe SeeUe