Epic+ Fey (musings)

Khisanth the Ancient · Sep 15, 2012

What possibilities are there for epic/immortal Fey, other than the obvious Fairy Queens/Kings (who wouldn't be numerous, and probably wouldn't go very high anyway: I don't think it would make sense to have e.g. Titania be a match for Orcus or Tiamat.)

Maybe planetary Fey that embody the biosphere of a whole planet? The rock/structure of a planet? The fire and energy of stars, or the starbirth-grounds of nebulae?

Ancient Titans of Faerie/the Feywild that once reshaped the realm to their whims, but now lie bound, their bodies transformed into major geographical features (mountain ranges, seas, islands etc.)?

Searing energy beings that 'bleed' life energy into the world from Faerie/Feywild/the Positive Energy Plane -- or dark versions of them, that twist the landscape for hundreds of miles around them into nightmare ecosystems of plague and predation gone mad.

Upper_Krust · Sep 17, 2012

Howdy Khisanth mate!

I remember working out about 40 epic Fey/Feywild creatures for a future (probably never to be realised in fairness) book. I'll have a hunt and see if I can find that list when I get the time (unfortunately working tonight and tomorrow then going on a brief holiday for a few days after that).

As I recall from the list the main Fey types would have been the Sidhe (forgotten gods, godly echoes), Rusalki (a bit like nature elementals), the Orochi (sort of like Biolante from Godzilla). One new enemy I created was called the Arboreant which was like a living Forest.

The 4th Vampire Bestiary pdf was also meant to be about Epic Fey "The Forest of Intestines". Wherein you have a large Varcolac entry, a Hecate entry and various other monsters like the Yale, Humbaba and Terrible Monster...among many others obviously.

Fieari · Sep 27, 2012

My campaign is based around epic fae. I basically worked out that in my campaign, Fae use an entirely different system of magic from everyone else, that utilizes narrative imperative-- basically, limited versions of the Supreme Deity's own power to write in the akashic records. They can't write just anything-- they have to write according to certain narrative rules (based on fairy tale structure), and they have no creativity (so need to steal children for ideas), but within these rules, they have ultimate power.

All fae possess this power. Weaker fey have access to much smaller amounts of the akashic records, for example, a single flower, while stronger fae (royalty, etc) have access to much larger amounts of books, generally all relating to a particular subject (the weather, the seasons, etc).

Because Fae don't use quintessence, and their rules aren't based on "Gain magical power / Quintessence to do more impressive things" but rather on narrative necessity and domain reach, they are highly dangerous, and even lesser fae regularly thwart the gods... and in fact, in my setting, the gods used to be enslaved by the fae, and they only broke free after an extremely bloody war.

Upper_Krust · Oct 7, 2012

Hey Fieari mate!

Fieari said:
My campaign is based around epic fae. I basically worked out that in my campaign, Fae use an entirely different system of magic from everyone else, that utilizes narrative imperative-- basically, limited versions of the Supreme Deity's own power to write in the akashic records. They can't write just anything-- they have to write according to certain narrative rules (based on fairy tale structure), and they have no creativity (so need to steal children for ideas), but within these rules, they have ultimate power.

All fae possess this power. Weaker fey have access to much smaller amounts of the akashic records, for example, a single flower, while stronger fae (royalty, etc) have access to much larger amounts of books, generally all relating to a particular subject (the weather, the seasons, etc).

Because Fae don't use quintessence, and their rules aren't based on "Gain magical power / Quintessence to do more impressive things" but rather on narrative necessity and domain reach, they are highly dangerous, and even lesser fae regularly thwart the gods... and in fact, in my setting, the gods used to be enslaved by the fae, and they only broke free after an extremely bloody war.

So would I be right in thinking this is similar to Freddie Krueger's ability in that he has ultimate power in his 'domain' (that being the nightmares/dreams of others).

Fieari · Oct 22, 2012

Pretty much, yep!

For example, take a mere Poppy Sprite, bound to a single Poppy Flower. Stay away from that flower, and you're completely safe. Come within sight of it, and the Sprite might be able to tell the story of how the wind carried the scent of the flower towards you, bringing you closer. The Sprite would invite you to dance, and if you did, the Flower would dance as well, and the combined dance would enable to Sprite to do pretty much anything it wanted to you, because it controls the story of the Flower, and the Flower now relates to you.

Now, lets say you are armed with cold iron... wearing a Cold Iron Horseshoe around your neck for instance, which is nearly the ultimate defense against fae. You pluck the flower, and make it into opium. That drug now places you into the direct control of the Sprite, and it will now have ultimate narrative power over you. Telling your story, bringing "extras" into the tale if needed, etc. It would likely use this power to obtain vengence over the person who plucked the flower in the first place, arranging a series of events akin to Arthur Dent and Argagarg (the Whale) such that the person will want, nay, NEED to obtain vengeance against that person for personal reasons.

And that's a very minor sprite. More powerful fae control the story of "Things Growing In Springtime", or "The Tempestual Storms".

FieryDragonLord · Oct 23, 2012

Fieari, your epic fae basically control fate. So would the Fates in Greek mythology be a high level fae? It also seems like the fae might be lesser incarnations of the supreme being.
Also, why would cold iron weaken them?

An idea I have for a high level fey would be beings instead of representing nature in the planet like seas and mountains, they could represent things in the whole universe like the different types of stars, nebulae, and black holes.

Fieari · Oct 23, 2012

Yeah, I think the Fates would be high level fae in my campaign world.

As for why Cold Iron works? Honestly, the same reason it works in myth. It represents Civilization, and more importantly, Rationality. The opposite of Narrative and Story.

Upper_Krust · Oct 24, 2012

Incidentally, I found that list of Fey monsters. Lots of these are from Celtic myth. Lets see:

Orochi (Biolante)
Arboreant (Treant Living Forest)
Odium (in the Epic Bestiary)
Timber Dragon
Keteb (Luck Eater)
Chalk Golem
Nazca
Ley Line Golem
Lightning Treant (splits)
White Stag
Sidhe (Forgotten Gods)
Menhir
Rosualt (Sea Monster)...deathly vomit/breath
Great Hairy Claw
Ben Bulben/Torc Triath (Legendary Boars)
Constellation Golem
Varcolac (various)
Wisp Hydra
Taranis (Evil Thunder God)
Green Knight
Various Fomorians: Yspadden (chief), Wrnach (owns magic sword), Searbhan (terrible appearance - can only be harmed by his own club)
(Eladrin?) Wizards: Uscias, Esias, Morfessa, Simias
"Plant Worm Woman"...inspired by a monster from Devil May Cry 4