| The Willow Sourcebook |
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"Fairy" is a human-invented corruption of fayarafallia, or "happy folk," a name the fairies gave themselves. This fact intrigues scholars, for the fayara, or "fey folk," evidently have no language of their own. Only a few fayara even talk, though no human knows whether the others lack vocal chords or they simply have nothing to say. The fey "language" is only a small collection of words without grammar or syntax. Where, then, did the words come from in the first place? The dubious source Axanderan of Cashmere, in his brief monograph The Whole History of Our Realm, Its Beings, and All Its Kingdoms, claims the fey language is a remnant of the tongue of the elves, the vanished predecessors of humanity. Other scholars claim more plausibly that the fayara had a language of their own at one time, but forgot it. This is the nature of the happy folk: immortality and forgetfulness. They are old beyond human recollection, but most have no memory reaching beyond a year in the past. A fairy lives in an eternal present, reinventing the same games endlessly, exploring her forest with a child's wonder, unhaunted by memories of past sorrows. Without fear of death, without responsibility, no wonder they are childlike. No wonder they are the "happy folk." THE HIGH FEY Fayara live only in forests occupied by "high fey," such as Cherlindrea. The high fey are thought to be elemental spirits, embodying the collective life force of an entire wood (see CHERLINDREA). Ordinarily, fayara can fly, turn invisible at will, talk with animals - if they talk at all - and glow brightly in darkness. The high fey harness much greater magic, gathered from their subjects and from the life essence of the forest. Within this realm a fey ruler's power is practically absolute. As with other "elemental" magicians, though, the price of this enormous magic is confinement to the place of magic. Some nonhuman creatures attain power that dwarfs a human sorcerer's abilities, but these beings may not leave the rock, sea, forest, or other terrain that gives them life. The high fey cannot range beyond the tree shadows at forest's edge. No one is sure whether the same restriction applies to ordinary fayara. At any rate, the fairies show no interest in leaving the forest. FOREST LIFE Though not all forests host fayara, all fayara live in forests. They eat nothing, drink nothing, coexist peacefully with animals, sleep only occasionally; awake, they do little but play. Except for the high fey, no fairy shows interest in visiting other forests, learning of other races, having (or being) a pet, or gaining magical power. Experienced travellers know that a fayara's only real interest is making mischief. A human entering a fairy forest must beware of hanging vines, suspiciously wide paths, and other traps. The happy folk and their brownies set these snares to catch "the big folk." The captors always release their prey unharmed, but not before their prisoners are subjected to unmerciful pinching, tickling, and curious investigation. Those who recount the experience regularly use the phrase "blasted nuisance." Fairy forests cannot be distinguished from the ordinary variety. The lights that flit from bush to branch often prove to be merely fireflies. But on nice days and clear summer nights the forest echoes with music: airy, fluting sounds, delicate yet resonant, that seem to carry with them the odors of flowers in bloom or fresh rainwater. The music has no melody, no clear beginning or end. Yet how many travellers stand transfixed, for hours at a time, drunk with the joy in those sounds! FAIRY DUST Fairies sometimes lose their wings. In cold climates at the onset of winter, a fayara often sheds its wings and hides away for a season-long sleep. By spring the fairy has grown an entire new set of wings. The happy folk preen and compare colors and patterns for many days after they awaken. Brownies collect shed wings for the high fey. The rulers powder the wings and cast enchantments upon the dust, turning it into several types of "fairy dust." A pinch of this dust, cast into a living creature's face, provokes some strong emotion: happiness, sorrow, lovesickness, anger (see DUST OF BROKEN HEART). Another variety of fairy dust can heal the wounds of any living creature. However, the effects are not instantaneous. Though their bodies are extremely tough and can hardly be injured, fayara wings tear easily. A fairy that breaks or tears its wings can no longer fly. It retreats sadly into a hollow tree or burrow, staying out of sight for the month or more needed to regrow the wings. The only fairy dust that can be made from such broken wings is the Dust of Lingering Sorrow. GAMING NOTES Armor Class: 0 A fairy can fly, turn invisible or glow brightly at will, and can speak with animals. Most fairies have supplies of fairy dust that produce any effect the gamemaster thinks will help the story. Healing powders work on any living being, but healing a wound requires 1 hour for every hit of damage the victim sustained. The high fey can do basically anything they want, within the confines of the forest; for more information, see CHERLINDREA. |
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