fae

The fae are spirits which inhabit many realms. Unlike other such spirits, like demons or proteans, fae are not found on every realm with sapient life. Fae are mostly associated with areas of nature and the wilderness.

Origin

The origin of fae is less well understood than other types of spirits. While demons are created from the accumulated malice of mortal emotion and proteans form out of impurities in elemental reserves, fae creation has no obvious catalyst. They arise in remote areas, such as dense forests, mountain tops, or remote islands. In these untamed areas, fae of all types come into being. They are born out of places of creation and genesis, such as hatching from bird eggs or emerging from blooming flowers.
Some scholars posit that fae are thus born from mortal desires, coming into being whenever one person feels great desire for another. Others believe this to be too literal an interpretation and instead posit that fae arise from mortal dreams. They connect the chaotic and oftentimes contradictory nature of dreams with the behavior and personalities of the fae and the oftentimes paradoxical nature of their domains. Others believe the fae have nothing to do with mortals at all and are, instead, counterbalances to the forces of order which hold realms together. Fae thus serve to maintain an equilibrium in the universe.

Types

Much like all spirits, fae come in a multitude of forms. These forms vary more than most other spirits, in size, features, and personality. Many of the fae have further subdivisions within their types as well. Perhaps owing to their chaotic nature, many fae do not fit into neat categories. However, the following are the most commonly found fae:

• Fairies are the most common fae. They are minuscule people, typically standing no more than an inch tall, and resemble crosses between mortal species and insects. They have insect wings and much of their torso is covered with chitinous plates.
• Fauns are revelrous fae known for spending most of their time in bacchanalian celebrations. They resembles mortals with the lower halves of animals.
• Gnomes are short, stout creatures who posses bushy beards, spiny throat pouches, or puffy wattles. They typically live underground and sometimes come to inhabit cellars, where they have a habit of performing household chores and stealing food while the homeowners sleep.
• Hags resemble elderly mortals, most often female, and are known for their great magic. They are known for providing boons, advice, or wishes in exchange for payments of an eclectic nature.
• Ogres are large, monstrous fae prone to violence more than mischief. They are known for haunting mountain passes, bridges, and remote roads, where they demand payment from travelers.
• Pixies are brightly colored creatures who resemble shrunken down mortals. They usually stand around a foot tall and are capable of floating effortlessly through the air. They are solitary creatures, known for causing mischief and stealing trinkets.
• Sprites are playful, curious beings who look like little wisps of light. They flit around, closely inspecting anything new or unusual. They are drawn to magic and at times serve as familiars for mages.
• Sylphs are ethereal creatures, resembling ghostly mortals dressed in diaphanous robes. They lurk in remote wilderness and protect them from despoiling.
• Undines live in or near the water, often having features of aquatic creatures such as scales or gills. They are known for freeing fish from hooks and nets, tipping over small boats, and otherwise causing problems for sailors and fishers.

Culture

Fae have little in the way of unifying culture, as they tend to be of vastly different shapes and sizes. Fairies have the most structured society, living in loosely connected villages overseen by elders, with a king or queen ruling over them. Each realm typically has two fairy groups which go by a variety of names, such as the Seelie and Unseelie, Light and Dark, Summer and Winter, or Golden and Leaden. Both groups are known to be playful and tricky, though the Unseelie tend to be more callous and prone to dangerous pranks. These two groups tend to be antagonistic, if not outright hostile toward one another, sometimes breaking out into war.
Gnomes are also known to form small communities, though they tend to be no more than a dozen at a time. These communities gather in the cellars of hamlets or small villages, sharing knowledge of which homes have the best food, kindest residents, and least bothersome pets. They lack any sort of governing structure, instead acting as a type of loose band or commune. It is rare that these communities have any form of contact with one another.
Other fae tend to be solitary and at best maintain loose social webs tied together by friendships, mutual interest, romance, and rivalries. They may possess unwritten rules or morays which guide their actions, but these can vary wildly from place to place and have no real enforcement other than ostracism.