Lady Gwendolynn O'Danaan
airforcegrrl of Otherkin.com
--While this is not everything I know about the Fae, nor everything dealing with Fae, it is a small snippid of information I wanted to share for this topic. this topic deals with the Fae race and not Fae Kin. Feel free to post comments, questions, and disagreements, I'd like to expound what I have here against what others know or experienced. biggrin
Fae
Sometimes called Fay, Fey, Faerie, Wee Folk, Good Folk, and other titles is a race of beings sometimes associated with nature and various myths and folklore. The beings making up this race are comprised of thousands of various incarnations and species, to name just a few; pixies, nixies, faeries or fairies, sprites, sylphs, kelpies, gnomes, hobs, knobs, gremlins, goblins, boddachs, sidhe, some elves, some dragons, nymphs, dryads, fauns or satyrs, some centaurs, some elementals, some spirits, etc.
Courts
There are two main Fae Courts, Winter and Summer. Sometimes also referred to as Unseelie (Dark) and Seelie (Light). Within each is a Lady (Princess), Queen, and Grandmother or Queen Mother. The Queen's are the ones we tend to hear the most about. Mostly you hear about Maab (Winter) and Titania (Summer), but neither is Queen any more. Instead the status of being in charge is passed around amongst the various Royals in Court through a kind of democratic voting system of sorts. The rule is for a 100 years of Faerie time (which is much longer than Earth time) unless something happens (death, war, etc).
The winter and Summer Courts trade off control based on the changing Seasons. Winter rules from the Winter Solstice (Dec 21) to Summer Solstice (Jun 21) and Summer rules from the Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice. Other courts trade power but not usually around the seasons change.
The Winter and Summer Courts, while being the larger and most dominant, are not the only Courts. There are lesser Courts for each of the various types of Fae, Courts for the various jobs that Fae hold, Courts for the elements, Courts for the various continents on Earth or other realms/worlds we inhabit and then broken down into smaller Courts based on the land divisions of each continent.
The Royalty within the Courts tends to be Sidhe, but that is the case for mostly the higher ranking Courts like the Winter and Summer Courts. Some Elves due hold rank within in the Courts and have been known to pass themselves off as Sidhe (just as some Sidhe like to pass themselves off as Elves). In the case of the Courts for each Fae race the Royalty tends to be the older or pure blood of the race.
Wyldfae
Not all Fae are aligned with one of the main Courts. Some of them are Wyld and are only called to be aligned during times of war.
Alignment
It is commonly thought that the Winter or Unseelie Court is the evil Court and the Summer or Seelie Court is the kind and loving one. This is not necessarily true. Both Courts have the capacity for doing both beautiful and terrifying things. Nor can you dictate their alignment by looks alone. Some of the most beautiful Fae are the deadliest and some of the most repugnant are the most loving.
One thing is for certain and that is all Fae, no matter their alignment, can only speak the truth, however that truth may be fogged by riddles and misdirection when spoken.
Powers and Magic
Abilities vary with each race and each individual Fae. Some older Fae or pure blood Fae tend to be more powerful but again it varies. Powers are sometimes centered on nature or the job that the Fae holds. A common power among Fae is a form of invisibility, while it does not render the Fae truly invisible, it causes the viewer to pass over the Fae when looking. If the viewer tries to focus on the Fae they can then use other methods to distract the viewer by making them look away in order to escape detection.
Flight falls under magic because many Fae can fly with or without the use of wings. And let's face it, some Fae have some seriously daintly wings that no matter how fast they flutter would probaly not lift anything off the ground. So yes there is some magic involved in this task, but being creatures of magic ourselves such things are second nature, much like breathing. We learn to fly and use magic the same way humans learn how to walk and talk.
Glamour is another common power the Fae use. Mostly to trick or entice humans into our little traps. We can appear as beautiful damsels in distress. We can appear as horrible ugly little halfling creatures. We can fire sparkles to your left to distract you while we escape off to the right. We can make our homes look like the rest of the scenery as well. Only other Fae and those that are Touched have the insight to see past a Glamour, if they know what to look for.
Changing or transmuting form is another power that many Fae posses. For example Nymphs and Kelpies can meld with the element, flora, or fauna they are connected with or in some cases become said element, flora, or fauna. Faeries, Pixies, Nixies, and Gremlins, as another example, can change their size from being 6-7 feet tall to as small as an ant.
The Land of Faerie
Faerie itself is not actually here on Earth or within this plane/dimension/realm of existance. Faerie is it's own plane/dimension/realm unto itself and has many portals/doorways that connect itself to this one. Time does run differently in Faerie compared to here. Just ask Rip van Winkle. (giggles) Faerie time is much slower than Earth time. There is no actual measurement to it. One Faerie day could equal one Earth week or even one Earth year. We really just don't know nor do we really care, though many have tried to calculate it.
Veils between Faerie and Earth are thinner during certain times of year and can be easier to access in certain areas. During the times of New Moon and Full Moon veils are thinner and it is cautioned that people walking in uninhabited areas (even if trails are marked) take extra caution at night. You could stumble into Faerie and not realize it and stumble back out again 28 days later when the moon has completed her cycle. During certain times of the year like the Solstices and Equinoxes veils are thinner as well. People doing ritual (not just pagans) can generate enough magic or power in one area causing a veil to open up and allow things to gain access to Earth or to escape back to Faerie. Lei lines are said to generate enough power to act as portals. Certain areas of the world that are huge power centers or just generate a great deal of energy (like waterfall for instance) can be used as portals as well. You just have to know how to look.
War Glamour
All Fae have a War Glamour of some type. This Glamour is mostly only used during times of war or when a Fae is coming under attack. The Glamour can be something as simple as the Fae is dressed in simple armor or something as elaborate as a complete form change to something totally different and well protected. Some Fae Glamours can even take on an almost demonic look to them depending on the Fae. While this is called a Glamour it is not the same as a Glamour used to deceive. The War Glamour is an actual physical change in form sometimes agumented with additional armor or weapons depending on the battle.
Touched
A Touched person is someone who has Fae blood in them through a family member giving birth to a child of one Fae parent or has been bestowed a blessing by a Fae. Depending on the skill and power level of the Fae will depend on how Touched the person is when the blessing is given. Obviously more powerful Fae can give a greater blessing. Most Touched people have the ability to see through Glamour, can spy portals into Faerie, sometimes get lost in Faerie for brief periods of time, tend to have a good deal of luck and good fortune, the offspring of a Fae parent sometimes have certain magical abilities of the parent and can learn to develop them, and other mostly minor abilities or qualities.
Fae
Sometimes called Fay, Fey, Faerie, Wee Folk, Good Folk, and other titles is a race of beings sometimes associated with nature and various myths and folklore. The beings making up this race are comprised of thousands of various incarnations and species, to name just a few; pixies, nixies, faeries or fairies, sprites, sylphs, kelpies, gnomes, hobs, knobs, gremlins, goblins, boddachs, sidhe, some elves, some dragons, nymphs, dryads, fauns or satyrs, some centaurs, some elementals, some spirits, etc.
Courts
There are two main Fae Courts, Winter and Summer. Sometimes also referred to as Unseelie (Dark) and Seelie (Light). Within each is a Lady (Princess), Queen, and Grandmother or Queen Mother. The Queen's are the ones we tend to hear the most about. Mostly you hear about Maab (Winter) and Titania (Summer), but neither is Queen any more. Instead the status of being in charge is passed around amongst the various Royals in Court through a kind of democratic voting system of sorts. The rule is for a 100 years of Faerie time (which is much longer than Earth time) unless something happens (death, war, etc).
The winter and Summer Courts trade off control based on the changing Seasons. Winter rules from the Winter Solstice (Dec 21) to Summer Solstice (Jun 21) and Summer rules from the Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice. Other courts trade power but not usually around the seasons change.
The Winter and Summer Courts, while being the larger and most dominant, are not the only Courts. There are lesser Courts for each of the various types of Fae, Courts for the various jobs that Fae hold, Courts for the elements, Courts for the various continents on Earth or other realms/worlds we inhabit and then broken down into smaller Courts based on the land divisions of each continent.
The Royalty within the Courts tends to be Sidhe, but that is the case for mostly the higher ranking Courts like the Winter and Summer Courts. Some Elves due hold rank within in the Courts and have been known to pass themselves off as Sidhe (just as some Sidhe like to pass themselves off as Elves). In the case of the Courts for each Fae race the Royalty tends to be the older or pure blood of the race.
Wyldfae
Not all Fae are aligned with one of the main Courts. Some of them are Wyld and are only called to be aligned during times of war.
Alignment
It is commonly thought that the Winter or Unseelie Court is the evil Court and the Summer or Seelie Court is the kind and loving one. This is not necessarily true. Both Courts have the capacity for doing both beautiful and terrifying things. Nor can you dictate their alignment by looks alone. Some of the most beautiful Fae are the deadliest and some of the most repugnant are the most loving.
One thing is for certain and that is all Fae, no matter their alignment, can only speak the truth, however that truth may be fogged by riddles and misdirection when spoken.
Powers and Magic
Abilities vary with each race and each individual Fae. Some older Fae or pure blood Fae tend to be more powerful but again it varies. Powers are sometimes centered on nature or the job that the Fae holds. A common power among Fae is a form of invisibility, while it does not render the Fae truly invisible, it causes the viewer to pass over the Fae when looking. If the viewer tries to focus on the Fae they can then use other methods to distract the viewer by making them look away in order to escape detection.
Flight falls under magic because many Fae can fly with or without the use of wings. And let's face it, some Fae have some seriously daintly wings that no matter how fast they flutter would probaly not lift anything off the ground. So yes there is some magic involved in this task, but being creatures of magic ourselves such things are second nature, much like breathing. We learn to fly and use magic the same way humans learn how to walk and talk.
Glamour is another common power the Fae use. Mostly to trick or entice humans into our little traps. We can appear as beautiful damsels in distress. We can appear as horrible ugly little halfling creatures. We can fire sparkles to your left to distract you while we escape off to the right. We can make our homes look like the rest of the scenery as well. Only other Fae and those that are Touched have the insight to see past a Glamour, if they know what to look for.
Changing or transmuting form is another power that many Fae posses. For example Nymphs and Kelpies can meld with the element, flora, or fauna they are connected with or in some cases become said element, flora, or fauna. Faeries, Pixies, Nixies, and Gremlins, as another example, can change their size from being 6-7 feet tall to as small as an ant.
The Land of Faerie
Faerie itself is not actually here on Earth or within this plane/dimension/realm of existance. Faerie is it's own plane/dimension/realm unto itself and has many portals/doorways that connect itself to this one. Time does run differently in Faerie compared to here. Just ask Rip van Winkle. (giggles) Faerie time is much slower than Earth time. There is no actual measurement to it. One Faerie day could equal one Earth week or even one Earth year. We really just don't know nor do we really care, though many have tried to calculate it.
Veils between Faerie and Earth are thinner during certain times of year and can be easier to access in certain areas. During the times of New Moon and Full Moon veils are thinner and it is cautioned that people walking in uninhabited areas (even if trails are marked) take extra caution at night. You could stumble into Faerie and not realize it and stumble back out again 28 days later when the moon has completed her cycle. During certain times of the year like the Solstices and Equinoxes veils are thinner as well. People doing ritual (not just pagans) can generate enough magic or power in one area causing a veil to open up and allow things to gain access to Earth or to escape back to Faerie. Lei lines are said to generate enough power to act as portals. Certain areas of the world that are huge power centers or just generate a great deal of energy (like waterfall for instance) can be used as portals as well. You just have to know how to look.
War Glamour
All Fae have a War Glamour of some type. This Glamour is mostly only used during times of war or when a Fae is coming under attack. The Glamour can be something as simple as the Fae is dressed in simple armor or something as elaborate as a complete form change to something totally different and well protected. Some Fae Glamours can even take on an almost demonic look to them depending on the Fae. While this is called a Glamour it is not the same as a Glamour used to deceive. The War Glamour is an actual physical change in form sometimes agumented with additional armor or weapons depending on the battle.
Touched
A Touched person is someone who has Fae blood in them through a family member giving birth to a child of one Fae parent or has been bestowed a blessing by a Fae. Depending on the skill and power level of the Fae will depend on how Touched the person is when the blessing is given. Obviously more powerful Fae can give a greater blessing. Most Touched people have the ability to see through Glamour, can spy portals into Faerie, sometimes get lost in Faerie for brief periods of time, tend to have a good deal of luck and good fortune, the offspring of a Fae parent sometimes have certain magical abilities of the parent and can learn to develop them, and other mostly minor abilities or qualities.
i will type this as i read.
1.) i never heard before of the fae being unableto tell lies, and i do not think that i can believe it. but i am of course open to the possibility that it is true.
2.) hmm... that only Fae and Touched can see past glamours reinforces my belief that i am only part fae. in the oods outside my house there is this area between two trees that once i actualy focused on i could notice was not just an empty space, but a portal to a faerie home. even when i pointed it out to others who believed in teh fae and such they could not see it at all. in fact, they kept insisting that i was seeing things, and i am certain i felt an unusual aura sprinkled around them like dust.
3.) i thought Faerie was essentially timeless. o.o i didn't think such creatures as the fae even NEEDED a concept such as time.
4.) that description of Touched is interesting.
Lady Gwendolynn O'Danaan
Note: I haven't entirely read the article myself, but felt it would be nice to include as some starting information.
1.) i never heard before of the fae being unableto tell lies, and i do not think that i can believe it. but i am of course open to the possibility that it is true.
I have never heard such a thing. With the variety of Fae species out there I don't believe that in the least. Maybe if you catch them in a lie or trick of theirs and you can see past it all, then maybe they tell the truth. But I do know of some Fae that chronically lie as it is their way of life. One such Fae is the "Pooka" or "Puka". Not sure how to spell that, but my Beloved knows more about them. Apparently they are a Fae that tells nothing but lies, because that is all they know.
2.) hmm... that only Fae and Touched can see past glamours reinforces my belief that i am only part fae. in the oods outside my house there is this area between two trees that once i actualy focused on i could notice was not just an empty space, but a portal to a faerie home. even when i pointed it out to others who believed in teh fae and such they could not see it at all. in fact, they kept insisting that i was seeing things, and i am certain i felt an unusual aura sprinkled around them like dust.
I don't think someone necessarily has to have been "Touched" or even be part Fae to see such things. I think it's a matter of opening themselves up and becoming more aware of their surroundings that may help. People who constantly rely on their eyes of course won't see anything unless they take the time to take a deep breath, close their eyes, listen to the world and truly get in touch with what truly exists within, such as, the space in the woods where you live.
3.) i thought Faerie was essentially timeless. o.o i didn't think such creatures as the fae even NEEDED a concept such as time.
Well they don't exactly live forever. They can die. I didn't think many Fae kept track of time considering how much they most likely enjoy living their lives and going about their merry way. Tee-hee
TwilightInsanity
1.) i never heard before of the fae being unableto tell lies, and i do not think that i can believe it. but i am of course open to the possibility that it is true.
I have never heard such a thing. With the variety of Fae species out there I don't believe that in the least. Maybe if you catch them in a lie or trick of theirs and you can see past it all, then maybe they tell the truth. But I do know of some Fae that chronically lie as it is their way of life. One such Fae is the "Pooka" or "Puka". Not sure how to spell that, but my Beloved knows more about them. Apparently they are a Fae that tells nothing but lies, because that is all they know.
Quote:
2.) hmm... that only Fae and Touched can see past glamours reinforces my belief that i am only part fae. in the oods outside my house there is this area between two trees that once i actualy focused on i could notice was not just an empty space, but a portal to a faerie home. even when i pointed it out to others who believed in teh fae and such they could not see it at all. in fact, they kept insisting that i was seeing things, and i am certain i felt an unusual aura sprinkled around them like dust.
I don't think someone necessarily has to have been "Touched" or even be part Fae to see such things. I think it's a matter of opening themselves up and becoming more aware of their surroundings that may help. People who constantly rely on their eyes of course won't see anything unless they take the time to take a deep breath, close their eyes, listen to the world and truly get in touch with what truly exists within, such as, the space in the woods where you live.
Quote:
3.) i thought Faerie was essentially timeless. o.o i didn't think such creatures as the fae even NEEDED a concept such as time.
Well they don't exactly live forever. They can die. I didn't think many Fae kept track of time considering how much they most likely enjoy living their lives and going about their merry way. Tee-hee
i can understand that completely, i don't want to worry about time! *cries.*
Lady Gwendolynn O'Danaan
This info I am adding about the Seelie Court, I am uncertain as to how accurate the information can/could be due to the nature of its aquirement (from a Fae Otherkin). Please be advised there may be some anomalies or disagreement with bits of information.
Seeelie and Unseelie Court - See mid-bottom half.
Types of Seelie and Unseelie Eae?
Seelie and Unseelie Court Vague info
Aes Si / Daoine Sidhe / Tuatha De Danann?
Seeelie and Unseelie Court - See mid-bottom half.
Types of Seelie and Unseelie Eae?
Seelie and Unseelie Court Vague info
Aes Si / Daoine Sidhe / Tuatha De Danann?
alright, that was a little usefull, yes. smile thankyou dear!