Roleplaying Fair Folk

[mwnrnc]

My players are about to encounter some wood elves in the "fair folk" tradition and I am having trouble thinking of ways to impart their mercurial, capricious nature. Most of the ideas I've had so far I've dismissed as either random behavior for the sake of random behavior (which is erratic and frustrating for players) and pure dickishness (which is really frustrating for players). In particular, I'm keen on showing, rather than telling, the players the characteristics that are important. I'm open to any ideas, from encounters to RP to just flavor scenes or character quirks that I can use for NPCs.

Some ideas I've had so far:
- The Wood Elves have little sense of property and ownership, so they will willingly give any item they have, but not only expect it returned, but will borrow items in turn.
- Wait until a player engages in a common, innocuous activity and have every Elf in the area draw arrows on them as they have inadvertently angered the spirits of the forest.

 

[Raven Crowking]

"Fair Folk"? Do you mean Carnies? The thing to remember is that the games are always rigged.....

I've a thread here that might help: http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-legacy-discussion/86637-faerie-encounters.html

Long story short: When designing fey, consider what they represent (wind, fire, oak trees, summer, winter, the dead, foxes, etc.) and then define them in those terms, both in description and general behaviour.

Quick examples:

1. Tribe of wood elves based off foxes: They have red hair and green eyes, tend to be overly cautious. But they are cunning, often hungry, and interested in meat (birds, poultry, other small mammals). They get by on their wits, using tricks to remain unseen and/or hard to trace. They have a strong musky smell. They like grapes, both for food and decoration. They can be playful, but are likely to kill and devour a paramour they tire of.

2. Wood elves based off oak trees: These elves tend to be stronger, with hardy constitutions, but are less swift and flighty than other elves. Given a chance, they will take a long time to make up their mind. They wear oak leaves in their brownish-green hair and use acorn motifs in their decorations. They protect the oaks of the forest, which they consider kin -- chopping down an oak tree for wood is going to be frowned upon. They drink mineral-laden water, and prefer to dance slow stately dances around a great Grandfather Tree.

3. Tribe of wood elves based off thorn trees: These elves have sharp, pointed features and shiny grey-silver hair. They seem to like sharp things, and use javelins and daggers as well as bows and swords. Their voices are a little shrill, and their laughs are somewhat malicious. Staying on the periphery of the tribe is safe, but once a mortal is drawn within, he or she is fair game for the thorn elves, to pierce and draw blood, which is so pretty against the skin, to torture, and, in the end, to hang from the branches of the trees they represent. At least one of the elves is named Shrike; that may be a clan name instead.

 

[mwnrnc]

Thanks for the ideas. I like the Thorn Elves particularly since the forest these Elves inhabit is 'The Crimson Wood.' I can imagine them participating in blood rites before battle and what not, or engaging in duels for sport.

 

[nedjer]

Maybe get up to mischief whenever a flame or a fire appears. Dump water on the campfire, drain oil from lamps and lanterns, sneer about cooked foods and want to know how they were cooked - and how many trees were hurt doing it.

Sticking birds nests down smoking chimneys, sabotaging kilns and forges, and freeing witches who're about to be burnt at the stake (to protect the wood/ woodland)? Starting a campaign for witches to be hung instead of burnt due to the needless waste of perfectly good trees?

HTH