Fair Folk

Fair Folk

Fae

Elves

The Fair Folk are a race of mortals, that have a very strong connection to parts of the Dreaming that is in tune with the major seasons of the valley, Spring, Summer, Fall, And Winter. While they live on average the same actual lifespan as an average human, their manner of living, places them somewhere between normal and up to about four, occasionally 5 times as many calendar years alive. This is because each fair fold, upon spawning, is granted a spirit infused sapling. Typically what is usually done with it, is sometime during the next year the Fair folk spawned that year will form the spirit sapling into a weapon or tool of extraordinary quality during that time. The Bows that are formed from them are accurate, and some have a firing range that rivals that of the Godsbow. The curved single edged swords made out of them have near miraculous cutting power, are difficult, if not impossible to break or chip and on occasion have healing or venomous properties. Spears made from this wood can pierce the thickest plate, and some have been known to change in length. Clubs made of this wood have amazing heft, and seem weightless in the hands of their owners but cannot be lifted at all by anyone else. While most Fae seem to prefer making weapons with their sapling a few have made some truly legendary tools with them. One fae made a smoking pipe that always seemed to have fresh tobacco in it. Another made a false arm for his Akani lover, which created the legend of the wood-armed Akani avenger, who rallied the valley against the great invasion. The power of the saplings the fae make has a price however, both the fae and the sapling-artifact created by them must exist only in the season or conditions of the season the sapling was created in. Fae who craft their sapling in spring are know as the Fae of the Lillies. Those in summer are the warrior caste, the Court of the Cherry. The winter are the leaders and generals, the Court of the Maple. Those of the winter, are the Court of the Pine who are the sages and rulers. Of all the castes, the Court of the Pine are the most present year round (and thus the potentially shortest lived) as many of them in mountainous regions that have snow and thus winter conditions nearly year round. One exception to this is the elite inner circle of the court of the pine, the Pentacle. The Pentacle are five exceedingly old Fae, who live upon an ancient mountain pellinor, where constant winter conditions exist. Why they above all other fae are actually immortal is a matter of much outside speculation. Some suspect they replace their ranks in secret from eligible Pines, others suspect it is a cover identity used by successive and unrelated groups of fae adventurers and outlaws. Others suspect they may be the original Fae and thus above the rules that govern other Fae. Some have also suggested more grim, sinister causes for their longevity. Regardless of speculation one thing is certain. When the Pentacle decides something is worth meddling in every couple decades to centuries there is bound to be massive and sweeping change in the valley.