Nymphs, Centaurs, and Other Fey Creatures!

Greetings!

In one of the campaigns I'm running, one of the player characters has recently recruited some Fey followers. The player character is an Elf Druid 30/Fey Enchantress 2. She has recruited the following as higher-level followers;

1 Nymph
2 Treants
1 Unicorn, (Celestial, Holy);
1 Giant Eagle (Celestial, Holy)
1 Nixie (4th lvl Ranger);
1 Centaur (4th level Barbarian);
1 Satyr (2nd level Ranger);

She just loves to hang out with these kinds of creatures, being a chatty-Kathy and all. Do you like using Fey creatures like Nymphs and Satyrs? What kind of relationships do you imagine they would have with each other? How do you envision them getting along with other races such as humans, dwarves, and so on, and other members of her character party? Do you foresee any conflicts between their world-views and other player characters and NPC's? In your own campaigns, what kind of goals and ambitions do these Fey creatures have in general, and in particular with a druid character? Do your players enjoy interacting with Fey creatures? As DM, I have to really stay on my toes with these, as she likes to talk with them about their feelings, what they like to do, how they relate to their families, and so on! As a player, she gets her hackles up whenever she hears about the evil Minotaurs or humans plundering and enslaving the cute Fey creatures!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

SHARK said:

In your own campaigns, what kind of goals and ambitions do these Fey creatures have in general, and in particular with a druid character?

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In my own campaigns, currently, they tend to be strange, capricious, and often sinister (or at least disturbing) 'aliens' for the most part. They're not axactly the fey as written (FAW?), so I don't think their goals and ambitions would translate particularly well.

SHARK said:

Do your players enjoy interacting with Fey creatures?

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On the whole, I'd say yes. But it's often been unpleasant and dangerous for the characters, so..... yes and no? In the same sense as meeting a lich or vampire, perhaps.

SHARK said:

As DM, I have to really stay on my toes with these, as she likes to talk with them about their feelings, what they like to do, how they relate to their families, and so on! As a player, she gets her hackles up whenever she hears about the evil Minotaurs or humans plundering and enslaving the cute Fey creatures!

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Darn pesky players! Sounds like she really gets into her character though, which is great.

I try to do a kind of mini-'Ecology of ___' writeup for major unusual species/race features ahead of time these days - and keep them for future editing and reference of course. That's if some published thing hasn't covered it to my liking already, of course.


I'm also pretty much out of my depth commenting on epic-level situations - they haven't come up at all so far. 32nd level? Wow.

Aus_Snow said:

Darn pesky players! Sounds like she really gets into her character though, which is great.

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Only if she is the only player in the campaign.

By the way, fey creatures are sinister, not cute, in my campaigns. Even the most good-natured ones tend to be tricksy, viewing non-fey as playthings and toys to be discarded once they are no longer interesting.

I love using fey.

I use more Pratchett/JS&Mr.N fey in my siblings campaign. Tricky, amoral, cruel, and capricious.

I like the whole nastry fet. But in your case just define some racial traits then work into them and how the individual fey she covorts with relate to them.

Do Satyr always like to party? Well maybe this one only paries after success or at the worst moment. Satyrs that always party would be social, and would talk alot about distant cousins and grandchildren they meet at these shindigs.

Are the centuars stoic, family based nomads? Then maybe they won't talk about relations outside of their herd, perhaps family is intirely personal and Not-to-be-rude-but-none-of-your-business. Maybe they are greatly social and nobler creatures? They have great leagues of family, but only from stories, or tales of possibly long dead family members.


Anyway, great to have you back SHARK!

Fey IMC are forces of nature and some of their leaders are minor dieties. They are often curious and sometimes helpful but are always dangerous and easily offended.
Fey wont talk about their families because as manifestations of nature they dont have one however they might talk about a PCs 'father' but in fact be talking about an ancestor who has been dead for 4000 years - thus leaving the PC totally baffled

Also Fey being inherently magical and wholely ephemeral often forget that mortals can't do certain things and sometimes mortals get hurt (or even dead) as a result (which Fey being Fey sometimes find amusing - until they get bored and go and find something new to do)

Sammael said:

Only if she is the only player in the campaign.

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Eh? I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean.

No doubt I've simply missed a vital point, but could you elaborate? Thanks.

SHARK said:

Greetings!
1 Nymph
2 Treants
1 Unicorn, (Celestial, Holy);
1 Giant Eagle (Celestial, Holy)
1 Nixie (4th lvl Ranger);
1 Centaur (4th level Barbarian);
1 Satyr (2nd level Ranger);

Do you like using Fey creatures like Nymphs and Satyrs? What kind of relationships do you imagine they would have with each other? How do you envision them getting along with other races such as humans, dwarves, and so on, and other members of her character party? Do you foresee any conflicts between their world-views and other player characters and NPC's? In your own campaigns, what kind of goals and ambitions do these Fey creatures have in general, and in particular with a druid character? Do your players enjoy interacting with Fey creatures?

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Fey have a very key role in a world of "magic". They could even be seen as "physical representations" of the nature of magic, and bridge the line between this world, and others.

Nymphs and Satyrs work well. I like sprites, too. I've always been drawn to the Treant for some reason. Probably due to the LOTR influences.

With each other, they would need a common purpose. I don't think they would be the kind to come together or get along otherwise. I think they would be very much at odds with one another, including many practical jokes, and much horseplay. No wait, that's the centaurs...

As it relates to the conflict in world views, they should perhaps be conflicting in their visions. I think they would want very different things (material possession vs. spiritual awareness).

The role of these creatures in my home campaigns is largely that of filling the gaps around the sacred element of water, in support to the elves, from the great wood of Tomdor. Many of these are creatures that have been infused by the gods with the "magic" and "mystery" that makes the world a special place. Their role is to share it, with all they encounter.

How would their ambitions come together, I think your recommendation above, of menacing minotaurs is a good one. They would need a common, albeit fleeting, purpose. A goal that would bring them together. Perhaps it is the safekeeping of a great land.

Aus_Snow said:

Eh? I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean.

No doubt I've simply missed a vital point, but could you elaborate? Thanks.

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She seems to be playing in character a bit too much, i.e. hogging the attention away from other players. Spending lots of time talking with fey about their families and emotions is not how most players behave when their characters are level 32. Of course, the player could be a kid, or playing a solo game, in which case what I've just said doesn't really apply. All IMO.

Fey = too much "skitty school gal" feel to me. But then that's me.