Mortals, Changelings, and the Feymarked

The fey have a long history of kidnapping or seducing mortals to the First World, stealing babies in the night and replacing them with their own, and tricking naive innocent folk into bargaining over their first child. Such malicious acts are not allowed in Arbane... at least not without all parties agreement. These laws of course do not extend into the First World, but Arbane has made a point to their fey brethren that they will march into the breaches and enforce their laws if a citizen is taken, often making the effort not worth the High King’s wrath. Of course, non-citizens are fair game and some scholars debate this may have been one of the reasons for the start of the Eternal War, but the truth is most of even the trickiest fey agree it's not worth the trouble.
It is far more simpler and less bothersome to get a mortal to knowingly agree to a contract and become a Feymarked. A Feymarked is a mortal or creature who has made a deal with a fey and is marked by them to another fey that they are owned already. Despite how this might seem to some mortals, it is often not as nutritious as sounds. While some truly evil fey, often the ones of foriegn stories, will see this as a slave to do with what they wish, most fey know this simply as a personal servitude akin to either a debtor or a vassal. The Feymarked is even sometimes in the fey’s own family and marked as a form of protection, since other fey will see the mark and know they belong to someone stronger.
Where the marks are left generally indicate the purpose of the mark and, by consequence, how a Feymarked is perceived by society.

Cultural Reception

Where the marks are left generally indicate the purpose of the mark and, by consequence, how a Feymarked is perceived by society.
Brand Mark: Despite the name, there is usually no traditional branding involved in this type of mark, but its purpose is similar. The Brand Mark feymarked are indicated by a mark on the face. This is usually reserved as a forced mark, normally given only by evil fey or to indicate a punishment of some sort, and not perceived well by society. When not given by evil fey, they are often given to ex-convicts while on probation. Some thieves guilds as a result require one for entrance to prove you have done your time and are not fresh meat.
Dealer Mark: The Dealer Mark is a mark on the forearm is an indication of a deal or promise between two parties. They are fairly common and have no negative connotation, except that the person owes someone something. One can generally not strike a powerful deal with another fey when marked like this until they clear their current debt. Sometimes this is in the form of indentured servitude, but usually the Dealer Mark is used until some physical payment is acquired that requires travel.
Vassal Mark: A Vassal Mark is located on the neck, chest, or shoulder is usually an indication of belonging. Whether to a fey parent, archfey lord, or apprentice’s master, those Feymarked answer to someone. It is both an indication of patronage and protection as well as servitude and weakness. Those higher in society will tend to ignore the Feymarked, knowing they would have to go through their master for anything important. On the reverse, those of lower society will see them as a resource to build a relation with. Ironically, most creatures that are lured or kidnapped by fey usually sport this mark and thus it is the one most often questioned when seen.

It is important to note not all fey deals leaves one with a Feymark. Most deals often leave no mark at all as the transaction is normally final and complete at the agreement. Many of these deals are harmless and include more mischievous payments such as "the ability to see blue" or "tie a double knot when a full moon is out".

Some of the highest population of Vassal Feymarked reside in Nookspire. Many of these Feymarked are actually that of creatures and mortals who have received Baleful Polymorph to shrink down into the size of a sprite to fit inside the city.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Rarity

Uncommon