Queen Mab

1. #1Fae

   Keys: Fae, True Fae, Others, Gentry, Good Folk, Kindly Folk, Fair Folk · Secondary:

   True Fae are the immortal, mighty, and capricious inhabitants of Faerie, the realm that lies beyond the Hedge. Also known as the Others, Gentry, Old Gods, Kindly Folk, or simply Fae.

   They seem to have no names for themselves as a "race" and indeed do not think of themselves as such; each of the Fae is unique, and they refer to other denizens of Faerie by titles and names. Others use many euphemisms to refer to them, which helps to prevent them from being summoned at the sound of their names. When used to mean the True Fae, "Fae" is always capitalized; "fae" without the capital refers to any creatures touched by Faerie, including changelings, elves, pixies, and countless other examples.

   The Fae's perceptions, motivations, and actions are alien to humans. They seem to understand the world through relatives rather than absolutes; many are bound by obscure and bizarre oaths and rules; others act seemingly at random, obeying a logic opaque to all humans. While they may sometimes take the form of human-like beings or animals, they are often incapable of understanding mortals, one of the reasons they find them so fascinating.

   In their home realm, and to a lesser extent, the Hedge, they possess god-like abilities, able to shape and command all the elements of their domains at will. Their powers in the mortal realm are greatly lessened but still awesome; their influence extends there, employing Contracts they made with the mundane elements long ago.

   The Fae are difficult to comprehend. Their true nature is beyond imagination and their might is matchless in the mortal world — but they can’t always do as they please. In exchange for self-identity, they obey powerful obligations. What laws bind the True Fae? Only they can say for certain, but we've learned fragments and patterns of behavior. These rare consistencies offer some clues, but there are no guarantees that these, or laws that cause them, are stable facts.

   A Fae can never intentionally violate a Contract he swears on his own name. When an Other commits to a namebound Contract, obeying it defines his existence. If he breaks his word, he destroys his Name — and for the Gentry, namelessness is obliteration.

2. #2Faerie

   Keys: Faerie, Arcadia

   Faerie, also known as Arcadia, is the domain of the True Fae. It is separated from the mundane world by the Hedge.

   Faerie is indeed breathtaking, but its beauty also terrifies. It is a land of deathless joy in gnarled gardens, and of mountains built of half-gnawed bone. In Arcadia (for so it is also called), forests, dark and primeval, writhe alongside concrete jungles thick with artfully bent metal and delicate snowflakes of broken glass. Almost Victorian estates squat along shorelines that are crowded thick with the carcasses of a thousand sailing ships, all of this bordered thickly by the Hedge’s labyrinthine mazes. Faerie is all of those things, or perhaps it is none of them. Perhaps everything that is “known” about Faerie is merely the fevered visions of those who have lost the ability to discern reality from fantasy and truth from dream.

   Because of the nature of Faerie, even firsthand accounts of the land are inherently skewed. Those who have journeyed there, and escaped to tell the tale, find themselves deeply changed by their experiences. Many seem no longer certain of the reality of the world around them, let alone of the alien one they just left. Some, perhaps the fortunate ones, remember little to nothing of the time spent in Arcadia, even if decades passed in their absence. Traveling through the thorny Hedge that surrounds Arcadia tears away at both the body and the sanity of any but the native inhabitants, who are themselves rumored to be nothing more than manifestations of the land itself — immune to, or perhaps merely symptoms of, its reality-shredding power. They are Faerie, and the land is Faerie.

   What little is known of Faerie comes from the accounts of those who have visited there and escaped with some measure of their sanity intact. Because of this, it is uncertain whether the contradictions they report are a matter of slanted perception or whether reality, in fact, blatantly contradicts itself within the fae realm. Any fact reported about Faerie or those who dwell within its borders is suspect, at best. Even if it’s utter truth in the time and place it was witnessed, it may be complete falsehood at any other time and place.

   Among the accounts told by those who have been unfortunate enough to visit Arcadia (and fortunate enough to return) are the following: Reality, at least as humanity knows it, does not exist there. Faerie’s “natural” laws are not those of science, of spirit, or even of magic as mortals can comprehend it, but a complexly woven tapestry of agreements and loopholes with no rhyme or reason intelligible to the human mind. The inhabitants thereof are bound and bind themselves in a constantly shifting strata of power and manipulation that not only determines social structure and hierarchy within the sentient population but also shifts the very nature of truth.

   Faerie is filled with supernatural denizens who each possess almost unrestricted power within their own demesne — or so they profess. Indeed, their abilities are far beyond those witnessed in the mortal realm, leaving no wonder why they were thought to be gods or the most powerful spirits by humanity’s earliest civilizations. These creatures’ ability to enforce their own will on the world around them is manifested in the form of oathsworn Contracts — some ancient, some newly uttered — with which they can change the very nature of reality, binding time and fate to their whim. The oldest of these Contracts are thought to date back to the beginning of time, and through them the Fae maintain absolute dominion over their homeland — and those humans unfortunate enough to journey there.

   The only physical way for a human to enter Faerie proper is to be taken there by the True Fae. While other supernatural means may afford humans entry into the Hedge, Arcadia is the domain of the Fae, and entrance there is solely at their behest. Rumors exist of those who have, through one means or another, found the winding road to Faerie; however, not even legends speak of anyone ever returning, save those who were taken into the Fae realm by the Gentry themselves. Perhaps it is a simple impossibility, and the road to Faerie is not traversable by any save those welcomed by the Fae. Perhaps there is a key to entering Arcadia that no mortal can wield. Or perhaps the Fair Folk simply do not appreciate unsolicited guests and make their lethal displeasure known upon those who come uninvited.

   If even a small part of the accounts of those who have traveled there are to be believed, the realm, just as those who make their home there, is a place of unknowable extremes and possibilities. Within the Hedge-hemmed borders lies the potential for both utopian wonder and brimstone torment. The human mind, however, seems intrinsically incapable of comprehending the vast paradoxical nature of the place, just as the human mind is unable to truly understand the wholly alien nature of those who make their home there.

3. #3The Hedge

   Keys: The Hedge, Hedge

   The Hedge is a vast, seemingly intelligent or partially intelligent ecosystem that forms a boundary between Faerie and the Mortal Realm. A dangerous and savage place that few dare enter that is a much a physical barrier as a metaphorical one.

   In many places – particularly in places where Western culture is dominant – the Hedge lives up to its name, appearing as a thick hedge of thorny brambles, but it may take many forms. However it appears, be it swamp or desert or jungle, the Hedge is always wild and seldom safe; its thorns tear at the mind and soul as well as the body, leaving a mortal's memories and often identity in tatters.

   Within the Hedge are paths called trods which lead from gateways to other significant locations. Many trods run close to the mortal realm, which is visible when it is near. Others lead deeper into the Hedge, to Hollows – stable areas claimed or cultivated by Changelings or other fae creatures – or to Faerie, the realm of the Fae. It is impossible, however, for any but the True Fae themselves to enter Faerie from the Hedge; while mortals can often blunder into the Hedge on their own, they only enter Farie when taken by the Fae.

   The Hedge is full of life; as well as the thorns there are many plants, including mystical fruits of many kinds. There are also creatures of all shapes and sizes. Whether these creatures are native to the Hedge, or are creatures originally from Earth (or possibly even Faerie) who have been warped by prolonged exposure, is debated by the fae, though many agree that these explanations are not mutually exclusive.

4. #4The Fae Courts

   Keys: Court, Fae Court, Courts, Fae Courts, Summer Court, The Summer Court, Spring Court, The Spring Court, Autumn Court, The Autumn Court, Winter Court, The Winter Court

   Four main courts rule Faerie, each dedicated to one of the four seasons and each housing Fae that reflect the Court's values.

   Spring: The Fae of the Spring Court seek to forget their pasts by immersing themselves in the present and the pleasures therein. Of the four main courts, they can be considered the most optimistic but are far from the flighty would-be humans many other Fae accuse them of resembling.

   Summer: The members of the Summer Court are renowned as seekers of strength and power, ready to protect the Fae from any foe, but especially those from beyond Faerie. Summer Fae are just as likely to be politicians or intellectuals as they are warriors, so long as they can beat back a foe in some manner.

   Autumn: The Fae of the Autumn Court take the gifts of Faerie and use them to terrorize their foes and inspire awe in their friend. They are much closer to the Wyrd (the magic of the Fae) than any other court.

   Winter: Nomadic and extremely secretive, the members of the Winter Court seek to hide themselves from everything, from their rivals in Faerie to the friends who may come seeking them. They primarily live through spying and secrecy.

5. #5Marionettes

   Keys: Marionette, Tethered Marionette, tethering, soulstring, Puppeteer, doll joints

   Marionettes are a type of Golem, often mistaken for Living Dolls due to their porcelain-doll-like appearance with ball and socket joints. These joints are located on their elbows, knees, hips, shoulders, the base of their necks, and every one of their knuckles. However, they differ significantly in function and nature. A Marionette’s soul is made of thread. During their creation or when swearing fealty to a Puppeteer, strands of their soul intertwine with and bind to their creator, forming a symbiotic relationship. This bond sustains the Marionette’s life and grants the Puppeteer the ability to actively control their bodies if desired. The relationship is reciprocal, as the threads from their master are all Marionettes require to survive.

   A tethered Marionette can be distinguished from an untethered one by several unique traits: They develop a fully realized personality and a sense of self. They gain superhuman abilities, such as enhanced strength, agility, or reflexes. Their skin is warm and soft to the touch, except for their porcelain-textured joints, adding a lifelike quality to their appearance.

   Puppeteers are individuals who create and bond with Marionettes. The bond involves the intertwining of the Puppeteer’s essence with the threads of the Marionette’s soul, forming a permanent connection. Puppeteers can manipulate their Marionettes directly if necessary, utilizing the threads of their shared bond. This connection elevates the Marionette beyond being a mere tool, forging a relationship of dependency, loyalty, and shared purpose.

   The essence of a Marionette is their soul made of thread. These threads are woven into the essence of their Puppeteer, linking them in an intimate, symbiotic relationship. Only the most most potent and powerful of souls, such as those of ancient gods, can serve as the basis of a Marionette The bond can occur during the Marionette’s creation or when they swear allegiance to a new master, marking a key moment in their development and identity. This connection is what gives Tethered Marionettes their lifelike qualities, individuality, and their ability to thrive in both combat and companionship roles.

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