Fae

See also: Sidhe

Faerie creatures are those that dwell within the Shadow Realms, in an area of it commonly called the Fae Lands. Like the Divine Realms or Infernal Realms, the Shadow Realms are divided and splintered. The Fae Lands are those areas closest to the Mortal Plane.

The difference between Sidhe and Fae is mostly argued over by scholars and the Sidhe themselves. In practical terms both creatures were born in the Shadow Realms closest to the Mortal Lands; however, many Sidhe will take great offense at being referred to as fae or faeries.

The Fae, being the closest to the Mortal Lands tend to be molded and shaped by the beliefs of mortals. These beings of spirit reflect the mortal world around them and the mortals they interact with. Dark places will find dark faeries, while bright places will find happy faeries. All faeriest have almost no recollection beyond the now, but instead find themselves drawn to places that seem “right” for them.

Scholars disagree whether a fae that manifests a small expressions of self are simply lesser Sidhe or in fact are becoming Sidhe themselves.

Where the Fae Lands strongly intertwine with the Mortal Lands a Genius Loci is formed. These locations are often associated with a “spiritual” feeling due to the nature of the fae that dwells within the place.

Traditionally the fae are drawn to a place by the belief of those in the mortal lands. Thus, the fae that live within the loci are those most closely linked to the spiritual belief of the mortals.

A sentience is when the fae within a Genius Loci stop being individuals and instead become a single entity. This entity was formed from the spirits of the fae and thus manifests itself as their common will. Once formed the sentient will act as a single, and typically very powerful, spirit capable of forming a physical body.

While it has a body, it is still limited to the area around where it was formed. It can still only act as was the nature of the fae who formed it, but on a scale that was impossible before sentience occurred. It does not have “free will,” but it does have a great deal of choice.