Fae Courts of Cyfrin Forest
The enchanted Cyfrin Forest which surrounds Cyfrin Lake is home to a great many wondrous and dangerous creatures. Chief among them are the fae, capricious beings known for interfering with the lives of mortals. The most powerful and important of the fae organize themselves into noble courts to exert rule over their domains. As the fae are chaotic and mischievous creatures, these courts do not function by the logic of mortals, and their laws make little sense to outsiders. There are three such courts in Cyfrin forest, ruling over the three sections of the forest separated by rivers: the Realm of Queen Farhmor, the Domain of Prince Helfewir, and the Territory of Crann and Finin.
Realm of Queen Farhmor
Queen Farhmor controls the largest section of the forest, to the northeast. Those who see her describe her as exceedingly beautiful, so much so as to be unnatural and disturbing. While she beds fae as well, she is known for taking mortal males as consorts, a position which holds great privilege but also risk. They are granted their own land in the forest and a position in the court, but hey are also prisoners of the Queen, and cannot leave the forest without her permission, and the status they are given despite their mortal natures causes the other fae to resent and plot against them. Additionally, if the Queen ever suspects that the affections of a consort have wavered, especially if they have been given to a mortal female, her jealousy drives her to enact cruel punishment, both on the consort and his suspected lover. Those who manage to avoid death at the hands of the other court members or the Queen herself, though, may eventually transform into an immortal fey themselves, becoming permanent and high-ranking members.
The members of the Queen's court, beyond any consorts she currently has, include both the other native fae of the forest and the children she has had with her consorts. Many of the native fae despise the Queen's children for the same reason they despise their fathers, and rivalry between them is common. Additionally, while the daughters of the Queen live in close proximity to her, the sons spend more time with their fathers, creating further divisions between the children of different parents. As a result, politics in the Queen's court are cutthroat, and convoluted in ways only the fae themselves could hope to navigate
Important Locations
Seat of Power
While Queen Farhmor can appear anywhere in her realm that she pleases, she rarely deigns to travel to the home of another faery unless she is angry. When she wishes to officially meet with members of the court (or the entire court), she summons them to her throne, which sits in a small clearing deep in the darkest part of the forest, illuminated only by magic. Refusing a summons from the Queen is a crime of the highest order, and punishment is only slightly less than what awaits an unfaithful consort. Similarly, though the throne is seldom in use, it is always watched, and any foolish enough to sit in it are quickly subjected to Queen Farhmor's retribution. However, an outsider who kneels to the throne when it is not in use will may themselves rewarded.
Secret Grotto
The hidden grotto where the Queen, her daughters, and their attendants dwell is an idyllic place of comfort and pleasure. Its exact location is known only to Queen Farhmor herself, and it can only be found by those she chooses. Even here, there is a more private place: a "bedchamber," walled by trees and hidden by illusions where she meets with her consorts. Some of her daughters maintain similar enclosures nearby, but most of them prefer to go to their lovers' domains instead.
Anmair's Lair
Located underground in a chamber formed by the roots of a huge tree is the norn Anmair's dwelling. She can tell fortunes, though for any but the Queen, she demands payment, and her prices are strange and inscrutible, anything from future favors to the client's dreams. Those who have their fortunes told by her often find that they lose more in the process than the information they received could gain them.
Kall'och's Shack
The enigmatic sorcerer Kall'och inhabits an old, run-down shack on the edge of the forest which he rarely leaves. The structure is a remnant from before the Great Cataclysm, miraculously left standing, and is surrounded by the overgrown ruins of some ancient village. While some of the fae think that the shack contains some hidden, ancient knowledge that grants Kall'och insight and power, most believe that he found the place by accident and simply moved in because it's one of few walled and roofed structures in the Queen's realm.
The Shadowed Ravine
This dark chasm is home to many creatures in the forest who prefer to dwell in dark, cramped spaces, including the dragon Amearth. The fae tend to avoid this place, as its inhabitants are quite hostile and resistant to the rule of the court.
Notable Figures
The Inner Circle
These are the Queen's most trusted and valued subjects.
Queen Farhmor (petty female faery queen) herself is, obviously, the most powerful and important person in her realm. Beyond her somewhat-frequent cavorting with mortal males, she is known for her pride and vanity, but also her shrewdness. Any number of the members of her court would gladly take her place, but she regularly outmaneuvers rivals without even breaking from the luxury of her royal lifestyle. Only the most observant members of the court have realized that most of the conflicts between different factions and members of the court have engineered by the Queen herself, making most of the nobles too distracted bickering with each other to effectively scheme against her.
Alig Laigan (cold male faery warrior) is Queen Farhmor's second consort, after the first was killed by her for fraternizing with the dryad Moirea. Once a human, he became an immortal fae after surviving the court politics for many years and now serves as the Queen's most trusted soldier. Second only to the Queen, he has risen above even the earliest members of the court. He can come and go from the forest as he pleases, and his personal domain covers a large part of the Queen's realm. Some believe that his strength as a warrior surpasses the might of Queen Farhmor's magic, but he shows no sign of disloyalty.
Anmair (Mysterious norn advisor) is the Queen's closest ally among the native fae, with some even claiming the old norn is the Queen's mother. Their true relationship is enigmatic: while Farhmor trusts Anmair enough to tell her secrets and ask her for advice, they shoe little affection or camaraderie for each other. Anmair uses her knowledge of fate to inform the Queen, but she sometimes vanishes for months or years at a time to attend her own business, which the Queen seemingly does not mind, and her advice is not always heeded anyway. Anmair is also the only fae in the court that Farhmor will travel to visit with on good terms, though just as often she summons her instead.
Siubrae (manipulative female faery princess) is the Queen's third daughter, but by far her favorite. Ambitious and sly, she spends much of her time away from the grotto, spreading deceit or exerting her influence on the rest of the court, or even on the fae of the forest's other courts, as she has had occasional relations with one of Prince Helfewir's sons. She uses such manipulation to build her own power, seeking to one day become queen of her own realm, or even replace her mother. This ambition is an open secret between Siubrae and her mother, and the Queen doesn't mind. Her first two daughters are decadent and lazy, only leaving the comfort of the Queen's grotto to meet with lovers, and the fourth cares for little more than tricking mortals with her mischief, so Farhmor encourages Siubrae's aspirations, even if such encouragement ends in her own death at the hands of her daughter.
Silvesse (dignified female unicorn) is the loyal steed of the Queen, carrying her anytime she travels through her realm. While most unicorns are righteous guardians of the wild, Silvesse has come to care more about the comforts she enjoys in the Queen's grotto, and pays little mind to the cruelties she and her court inflict on both each other and on unfortunate mortal wanderers. The stallion Arion, who guards the entirety of Cyfrin forest, chides her for this behavior.
Consorts and Sons
These are the Queen's consorts and their sons. While Alig Laigan has become part of her inner circle, the Queen's affection does not automatically come with trust.
Talim Foloh (listless male elf ranger) is currently the Queen's only mortal consort, and the third she has taken. When he was 50 years old, he emerged from the Darklands as one of the first elves to return to the surface. While traveling through the forest, though, he fell from the top of a bluff and tumbled right into Queen Farhmor's arms, and she took him as a consort. At first he enjoyed his position as the Faery Queen's lover, but over time his love faded and he came to resent the Queen for keeping him captive in the forest. Now, over 100 years later, he wastes his days away wandering his land, demanding tribute from any mortals he catches there.
Torcull Tado (cruel male faery trickster) is the son of the Queen's first consort, a kitsune named Khen Tado, who was killed for his infidelity. Torcull never had any love for his father, seeing him as weak and foolish, and he has since taken over his section of the forest and turned it into a nightmarish mess of traps meant to ensnare wanderers for him to toy with. Like his father, Torcull can change shape into a fox at will, which he uses to lure people into his tricks. He frequently passes time in the company of the vilderavn Ven, who encourages him to indulge in his worst impulses.
Seamas Laigan (aloof male faery warrior) is the first son of Alig Laigan, and follows in his father's footsteps as a warrior. He pays little mind to the politics of the Queen's court, but loves testing himself in battle, especially against outsiders. Unusually for a faery, he worships a deity: the warrior goddess Moyrae. In pursuit of training, he often leaves the forest for years at a time, sometimes accompanying his father, but more often alone.
Fearghus Laigan (lively male faery musician) is the second son of Alig Laigan. In contrast to his father and older brother, he loves partaking in merriment. He is the member of the court most friendly to outsiders, with harmless pranks being the only mischief he indulges on them. He is popular among the lower-ranking fae of the forest, especially the nymphs, and his company is desired even in the other courts, where he often travels to participate in festivities. He is not indifferent to the politics of the court, though; while he shows compassion for outsiders, he readily schemes against his own kind, using his carefree persona as to distract the rest of the court.
Court Members
These are the rest of the important players in the politics of the Queen's Court.
Leitis (playful female faery princess) is the only child of Talim Foloh, the Queen's third consort. Like all the other daughters, she was raised by the Queen, but she is free-spirited and spends most of her time wandering throughout the forest, playing tricks on those she comes across. Her tricks, while not so sadistic and cruel as her eldest brother Torcull's, are not as harmless as Fearghus's either. Aside from her mischief, she also enjoys toying with others romantically, and sometimes takes mortal lovers like her mother. She lack any real attachment in such relationships, however, and they are usually short-lived.
Moirea (resentful female dryad) fell in love with the Queen's first consort, the kitsune Khen Tado, and while Khen was killed for it, the Queen was not so merciful to Moirea, cursing her and her bonded tree to wilt eternally as punishment. Seeking vengeance, Moirea now feigns remorse and loyalty while secretly scheming the Queen's eventual downfall. She allies with anyone, even the Queen's daughter Siubrae, who she thinks might help her one day repay the suffering she has endured.
Kall'och (reclusive male faery sorcerer) dwells in a squalid shack, but is actually a very old and knowledgeable mage. The Queen sometimes calls on him for information, favors, or spells, and others can enlist his services as well, though he rarely works for free. When not dealing with outsiders, he conducts divinations and rituals to further expand his knowledge. If he has an agenda, he pursues it with great subtlety, as he only leaves his home at the Queen's summons.
Ankleslicer (self-absorbed male redcap) is a fat, overgrown redcap who has reached nearly human height as a result of his consumption of those he has killed. Seeking to sate his own taste for mortal flesh, he tries to convince the rest of the court to expand their reach and capture more mortals. The other fae see him as annoying and disgusting, but he retains his place in the court because he is far more skilled than a typical redcap and is willing to perform dirty favors in exchange for mortals he can kill and eat.
Other Figures
These characters dwell within the Queen's realm but are not part of her court.
Amearth (irritable female horned dragon) is unconnected with the fae or their court, and would prefer to stay that way. The constant bickering and politicking her neighbors engage in is endlessly annoying to her, and she makes a point to eat any who get too close to the Shadowed Ravine where she lairs. She has no particular hatred for mortals, though, as long as they leave her alone. Those who try to speak with her without bringing a gift as compensation for her time seldom survive the encounter.
Oleander (impish male dweomercat) is a faery, but not part of the Queen's court. Liking nothing more than causing trouble for others, he wanders around the forest, leading travelers into the traps of the fae, but then helping them escape just before their captors can enjoy their spoils. He most enjoys disrupting the Queen herself, only to disappear into the forest before she or her attendants can catch him.
Domain of Prince Helfewir
Having rulership of the southeast portion of the forest, Prince Helfewir is a highly skilled hunter, and leader of one of the dreaded fae Wild Hunts. His domain is much more of a state than the other two courts, being the only one with explicit, codified laws. This does not make the politics any simpler to navigate, though, as these laws are extremely complicated, filled with loopholes and exceptions that cause most issues to devolve into extended legal disputes. At the end of the day, however, the Prince is the final authority, and any issue that he happens to care about is resolved quite quickly. Most of the time, though, he is either indifferent to the court's maneuvering or away on a hunting expedition, leaving the court members to their own devices.
Since the fae in this court spend so much time arguing over the meanings of laws, their tricks are the most likely of any in the forest to involve wordplay. In order to safely make it through an encounter with one of them, a traveler must pay careful attention both to the faery's words and to their own. The most well-known such trick involves the faery asking for the traveler's name; if the traveler tells them, the faery quite literally takes it, and the traveler loses their identity, or worse. There are plenty of other tricks, many of which are subtler and more sinister, that these fae may employ.
Important Locations
Helai Hall
Unlike in the Queen's realm, the Prince's power is centralized in this fortified hall. At any given time, half of the court or more may be dwelling in the hall rather than in their individual sections of the forest. The court is also frequently gathered for feasts when the Prince and his hunters return from a large expedition, reinforcing his authority and reputation.
Green Chapel
This ruined and overgrown stone shrine, sitting beside a small creek in the middle of the forest, dates to before the Great Cataclysm and is devoted to Gozreh, a deity that has long since been forgotten on Nerilia. Barely large enough to fit a dozen people inside, it was little more than a place for druids and the occasional wanderer to rest and pray. Now it serves as the home of the mysterious knight Sir Gilbert.
Crystal Cave
At the very southwestern edge of the Prince's domain is a region overrun with magical crystal growth, home to many crystal lions. In the center of this region is a large cave brimming with these crystals and guarded by the lampad Verna. Most of the fae, with the exception of those with some connection to the earth, avoid this place.
Itzeksha's Lair
This seemingly nondescript cave is guarded by the clouded naga Itzeksha, and contains some mysterious treasure, or, at least, Itzeksha claims it does. Some of the fae of the court believe the cave to be empty, and some have claimed to have snuck past the old naga and seen the cave for themselves. Among these, some corroborate the claim that the cave is empty, while others say they took the treasure for themselves, right under Itzeksha's nose.
Notable Figures
The Wild Hunt
These are the important members of the Prince's hunting parties.
Prince Helfewir (proud male faery prince) is perhaps the most honorable faery in the forest. He tries to run his domain with reason, and is generally gracious to outsiders that do not disrespect him. He takes great pride in his skill as a hunter, however, and insulting that skill, or simply getting in the way of a hunt, will earn his displeasure. When an outsider is curteous, he is often willing to trade favors in ways that are surprisingly beneficial to the outsider.
Brycan (arrogant male faery hunter) is the Prince's second-in-command in the Wild Hunt. He considers himself the greatest archer among the fae, and will go to great lengths to defeat any who challenge that idea. He is the member of the hunt who most often chooses its next quarry, and he enjoys imposing additional restrictions on the hunt's methods to provide an extra challenge.
Siral (vicious female faery hunting dog) is the personal companion of the Prince. While the Wild Hunt has many hounds, she is the Prince's favorite, and accompanies him most places he goes. While she is friendly to her master, she attacks both the Prince's enemies and her prey with savage brutality.
Gwenallt (flightly male faery scout) is one of the Wild Hunt's scouts, and while he is skilled, he is also very eager, often trying to race ahead and take down the Hunt's quarry himself. When the hunt is not active, he races through the forest looking for entertainment. This often gets him into trouble, and he is a common sight in Helai Hall as a result; he is often on trial for some offense or other against another of the court's fae.
Gronow (heartless nuckelavee hunter) is notable as the only member of the Wild Hunt who is a different kind of faery to the rest. Like all nuckelavees, they emerged from polluted wilderness and seek to bring death to others. Eventually they found themselves in Cyfrin Forest, where instead of killing them or turning them away for despoiling the forest, the Prince allowed them to join his hunters, where his desire to kill could be focused only on those the Wild Hunt found suitable.
Hall Dwellers
These are fae who, while not members of the Wild Hunt, live in Helai Hall most of the time.
Meleri (spirited female faery princess) is the wife of Prince Helfewir. She is intelligent and an excellent conversation partner, and like her husband, mostly gracious to outsiders. She loves art, music, and storytelling, and will often offer knowledge to outsiders in exchange for interesting stories of their travels.
Fernbreeze (whimsical female pixie chancellor) has the duty of handling legal disputes when the Prince is away, busy, or simply doesn't care about a particular issue, a duty she delights in. She encourages the other fae of the court to engage in close reading and nitpicky interpretations of the laws, as she enjoys seeing what sorts of absurd and clever arguments they can come up with to support their cases.
Glanmor (sly male faery lawyer) is a wily faery with a clever tongue, and he offers his services, in exchange for payment or favors, to any who find themselves in a legal dispute in the Hall. Many of the fae consider his work merely decent, however, and he gets most of his business from mortal outsiders, for whom anyone with the perspective of a faery is an improvement over self-representation.
Caddell (envious male baobhan sith courtier) is a spiteful and jealous faery who is in love with Meleri. Being fairly weak and low-ranking in the court, though, he is too afraid of Prince Helfewir to make a move. He constantly thinks up schemes to get the Prince out of the way, but has yet to act on them, and he takes out his frustration by bullying weaker fae and coercing mortal outsiders into letting him drink their blood.
Crobriek (lazy male satyr bard) enjoys the luxuries of living in Helai Hall above all else. He spends most of his time simply lazing about or drinking, but can play music well enough for the Prince and Princess to tolerate his company.
Court Members
These fae are members of the court but spend most of their time outside of Helai Hall, usually attending to their individual territories.
Erduvel (power-hungry female faery sorceress) is the daughter of Prince Helfewir and his wife Meleri. She has no interest in hunting or art, and devotes her efforts to developing her powerful magic. Seeking ever more potent spells, she travels among all three sections of Cyfrin forest and beyond. She even plans to leave the forest long-term soon, to learn secrets of magic that mortals possess and fae do not, as well as to perhaps establish herself in a powerful role in some distant land.
Sir Gilbert (devious male knight) is a strange being. Nobody, except perhaps the Prince, is quite sure where he came from, and he interacts little with the rest of the court. He dwells alone in the Green Chapel and enjoys challenging mortals to bizarre games, sometimes even leaving the forest to seek out a particular opponent. These games appear at the outset to have lethal stakes, but in fact Sir Gilbert only inflicts harm on those who break the rules of the game. His ancient-looking armor and tendency to lie dormant for long periods of time lead some of the fae to think that he is actually an undead, and a former knight of the Cyrdian Empire.
Lia Bloodworth (sinister female green hag) seeks to curse and poison all the beautiful fae of the forest, but hides that desire under a veneer of helpfulness. She trades magic for favors while enacting schemes meant to forward her goal without arousing suspicion.
Verna (despondent female lampad) rules over the Crystal Cavern and the rest of the crystalized region of the forest. Despite living outside of the Darklands, unlike most lampads, she is still lonely, as other fae rarely set foot into her territory, and mortals are scared away by the crystal lions living there. Being unable to stray far from her home, this leaves her desperate for companionship.
Lothaire (malevolent male ankou assassin) serves as the Prince's secret enforcer. When someone offends him but is too evasive to be sentenced by law, or when they escape their punishment, he sends Lothaire to track them down and bring them a cruel end, a task which the ankou relishes.
Other Figures
These characters dwell within the Prince's domain but are not part of his court.
Wuldwine Herebert (savage masculine android werewolf) spends more time in his wolf form than his humanoid form, and has essentially abandoned his old life to lead a pack of wolves in the wild.
Celaeno (aloof male nereid) is a faery, but has no involvement with the Prince's court. He mostly spends his days traveling between various ponds in the forest to enjoy their sights and visit the naiads dwelling there. The Prince doesn't mind his lack of acknowledgement of his authority because, like most nereids, he has no interest in interfering with others and simply wishes to be left alone.
Itzeksha (demented female smaranava) is a mad clouded naga who has long guarded a treasure hidden in her cave. Having gone mad in the centuries since her ward began, she can no longer remember what it is she guards, why, or for whom. Still, she remains stubbornly loyal to her task.
Cruk Khon (dedicated male orc warrior) narrowly escaped a battle with his life by fleeing into the forest, and he has now devoted himself to honing his skills as a warrior. Having been in the forest for 5 years, he has met and trained with some of the fae.
Territory of Crann and Finin
The final, smallest section of the forest, to the west, is unusual in two ways. First, the court is not ruled by fae, and indeed, is hardly a court at all. Second, instead of having a single monarch, this region is ruled jointly by two beings: the enormous arboreal Crann and the green man Finin. As spirits more attuned nature than most of the fae, their territory is notably wilder than the other sections of the forest. Powerful animals, animate plants, and strange beasts are generally more likely to be encountered than fae (though there are still plenty of fae). All of Cyfrin Forest is dangerous, but the Territory of Crann and Finin is so in a way that is less cruel and more instinctual, though quite savage.
The territory's wildlife is greatly bolstered by the presence of its rulers. Since they are both plant spirits, their power increases plant growth throughout the region. This plant growth supports larger and more numerous herbivores, who in turn support larger and more numerous carnivores. The area is dense with growth and brimming with life in a way that dwarfs the other sections of the forest. Crann and Finin regard this natural wonder with great vigilance, taking the roles of guardians and protecting the forest from any who would encroach upon it. To those who are respectful of the land, though, they bear no ill will.
Important Locations
Sacred Grove
This magical place in the heart of the territory is the site of the densest plant growth in the forest, and is the birthplace of many arboreals, leshies, and other special plants, as well as both Crann and Finin. Causing any damage to this place, even accidentally, invokes the wrath of the entire court, even the normally patient Crann. Luckily, finding the grove in the first place is an extraordinarily difficult task, but rumors that vidona vines grow there (which they occasionally do) continually prompt ambitious mortals to try.
Zivur's Lair
The zomok Zivur built this structure after he had lost interest in caring for the forest. Like a bird's nest build from entire dead trees, it looms large over its surroundings and also provides Zivur with unobstructed sunlight for his own photosynthesis.
Shadow Fen Tower
This old wizard's tower is ruined to near the point of collapse, with the trees and vines that have grown over and into it providing structural support. It lies in the center of a small pond and is guarded by the gargoyle Daunozz. It was built before the forest grew here, and some believe it may have been constructed during or shortly after the Great Cataclysm. If so, the wizard's notes would be an invaluable insight into what the region was like at the time.
Tosbor's Garden
This small space is the personal project of the wood giant Tosbor. A massive and unending art project, the garden is open for any to see as long as they don't damage it. The garden contains a wide variety of rare and beautiful plants from across the forest.
Notable Figures
Guardians of the Forest
These are creatures which take an active role in protecting the territory from harm.
Crann (thoughtful male arboreal canopy elder) embodies the wisdom and patience of the trees. He holds a great deal of knowledge gathered through experience and far-reaching fungal networks, and always takes time to properly mull over any issue before making a decision, unless, of course, matters are so pressing that they demand urgency. He will gladly share his knowledge with those who are respectful and wish to receive it, especially the druids who join in the effort to protect the forest.
Finin (zealous male green man) is the more hasty of the territory's two rulers, being far quicker than Crann to respond to potential threats with hostility. He is also less trustful of outsiders in general than Crann, and uses his connections to keep tabs on them throughout the forest. Still, he is perfectly capable of being patient and is not unreasonable, and once one has earned his trust, he makes for a very powerful ally.
Barhan (earnest male arboreal warden) is oddly impulsive for an arboreal. Though young, he shows promise in his martial abilities, and is eager to apply himself and get stronger. He is well-meaning and generally friendly to outsiders at first, but is also quick to anger when his home is threatened.
Giolla (wary female leaf leshy cleric) is one of the leshies of the forest with a close relation to Finin, and she has devoted herself to his cause of protecting the territory enough for him to grant her some of what little divine power he has. She mostly tends to plants and other leshies, but keeps watch for any unusual occurrences so she can either deal with them herself or report them to Finin.
Sabhain (violent female grimstalker) takes the direct approach to protecting the territory by continuously patroling its borders and killing almost any outsider she finds, regardless of whether they are respectful of nature or not. Crann disapproves of this behavior, but Finin doesn't mind, believing the fear this instills is helpful because it causes mortals to simply leave the forest alone.
Court Members
While the territory is not a "court" per se, these creatures are involved with Crann and Finin without being concerned directly with the protection of the forest.
Daire Bruccain (eccentric male gnome druid) is, despite being a mortal humanoid, perhaps more like a faery than either Crann or Finin. As a druid he is devoted to taking care of the forest, but he also has a hearty love of jokes and stories. He is the leader of a circle of druids living in the territory.
Fragaria (gentle female dryad queen) is the ruler of all the dryads of the entire forest, not just the territory of Crann and Finin, though she spends most of her time there, especially in the sacred grove, both because of the increased plant growth and because she gets along better with Crann and Finin than with Queen Farhmor or Prince Helfewir. Though she directly rules the dryads, her authority is still below that of the rulers of the forest. She is a favored devotee of the dryad goddess Duona.
Kaadra (narcissistic female kizidhar artist) is a wood genie and a skilled carver. She carves trees into sculptures and subsequently awakens them as wood elementals, a practice which Crann and Finin are ambivalent towards. She believes herself to be the pinnacle of beauty, and one can often win her favor with flattery and praise of her art.
Trutilda Itta (deceptive female catfolk sorcerer) won Crann's trust after years of discussing her love of nature with him, enough that he eventually showed her the way to the sacred grove where a vidona fruit was blooming, which is the source of her magic. In truth, the fruit was her goal all along, as thought that it would grant her immortality. Now she has turned her efforts to using her magic to find a different way to live forever. While deceitful, she is not malicious, and she actually does hold admiration for the natural world.
Wild Things
These beings are beasts and other dangerous creatures of the forest.
Zivur (idle male zomok) was once just as fervent about protecting the forest as Finin, but over centuries the mighty plant-dragon has become tired and apathetic. Becoming more like an actual dragon over time, he now spends most of his time sleeping in his lair and has even begun amassing a "hoard" of interesting-looking natural objects.
Fada (manipulative female snake) is a truly colossal constrictor snake who enjoys toying with her prey by luring them toward her with clever bait or eerie noises, then ambushing them. When she catches something intelligent, she often constricts it only enough to prevent movement, while making conversation. She especially likes to make them believe that she means no harm before devoring them whole.
Aireach (savage female owlbear) is an unusually large owlbear who has populated the forest with her offspring, each of which is larger and stronger than an ordinary owlbear. Other than her size and power, though, she is no different from an ordinary owlbear; she can't speak, and her name was given to her by other inhabitants of the forest.
Fearg (vengeful sard) was created when an arboreal's attempt at awakening a tree was interrupted by a lightning strike. The tree awakened, but was instilled with the power and rage of the lightning. It now wanders the forest aimlessly, attacking any creature that provokes it (and it is easily provoked).
Lonan (cunning male warg) is a literal lone wolf—a warg without a pack. He gets by by being stealthier than most of his kind, attacking prey when they are alone and vulnerable. Instead of bemoaning his solitude, he actually rather enjoys it, though he would not refuse a mate if the opportunity arose.
Other Figures
These charaters dwell within the territory but are not involved with its rulership or protection in any meaningful way.
The Hunted (deranged skulltaker) is an undead formed from the conglomerated spirits of mortals who came to the forest to dominate and profit from its resources (such as through hunting or logging) but met their grisly ends instead. The Hunted embodies the fear and rage these people felt at this perceived injustice, but rather than attacking the beings of the forest responsible for their deaths, it lashes out in jealousy at other mortal explorers, thus becoming like the things responsible for its own creation.
Vellu (self-reliant female tengu ranger) is the daughter of the vilderavn Ven and a tengu mother. She lives by hunting and sleeps in the treetops, largely keeping to herself. Her father wishes for her to embrace her vilderavn blood and indulge in cruelty, but she steadfastly refuses to do so.
Daunozz (dutiful male gargoyle) served a wizard named Afeus, the owner of Shadow Fen Tower. For some reason, Daunozz has remained steadfastly loyal to his master, even after his death, continuing to guard the tower for centuries. Most of the time, he sits motionless at the top of the tower, but he awakens quickly if he senses someone approaching.
Tosbor (fanciful male wood giant gardener) is obsessed with his small garden in the forest, and dedicates nearly all his time to maintaining and improving it. He loves to show his work off to others, and his favor can be won with gifts of beautiful or rare plants to be added to the garden.
Arion (humorless male unicorn) is a rare black unicorn, and is the default authority over most of the other unicorns in the forest. He considers it a sacred duty to protect the innocent creatures of the forest, and expects other unicorns to do the same.
Flickersage (capricious male draxie) is an old friend and rival of Fernbreeze. He's more prone to wandering than many fae, but occasionally the desire to have Fernbreeze's job overtakes him and he returns to the forest. He's tried many different schemes to lower the Prince's opinion of Fernbreeze or make her want to leave, but none have been successful so far. Each time her's tried, he's gotten bored and moved on again.
Ezen Island
This small island lies in the center of Cyfrin Lake serves as the meeting place for the forest's rulers. In the rare instance that an issue involves the whole forest, the island serves as a neutral ground for discussions to be held. These meetings are always tense, and frequently unproductive.
Ven (treacherous male vilderavn) wanders throughout the entire forest, looking for vulnerable people he can manipulate. He encourages them to be more violent and cruel to achieve their aims, waiting until they've achieved everything they want, then betraying them, usually benefitting in the process.
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