The Faerie Pantheon
Deities of the reclusive and mysterious fey are, not surprisingly, reclusive and mysterious. They are loosely organized into a pantheon of sorts, but given the diversity of their ageless people, the border between a powerful fey and a fey power is often difficult to notice.
Although ambiguous to the concepts of evil and good, the fey powers are dual beings. As far as most outsiders are concerned, there are two distinct organizations with opposing agendas: the Seelie Court consists of all-singing, all-dancing, nice people, while the Unseelie Court consists of all-singing, all-dancing, nasty people. In truth, there is but one Faerie Court, ruled by one Queen. They alternate between Seelie and Unseelie according to Her whims, although some claim that there is a set of traditions that regulates the shifting nature of the Faerie Court. When in "Seelie mode", the fey are friendly and eager to share their joy with all beings, particularly with the Eladrin celestials and the elven Seldarine. When Unseelie, they are no less graceful and charming, but their pleasures commonly include such activities as mortal hunting and creative nightmare design.
Whether this dualism is merely a facade maintained for public relation purposes, or are the Faerie powers truly split in two parts, the caring and the vicious, is known only to the Queen of Air and Darkness herself. As a faerie's glamour conceals its true face, so does the very nature of the Lords and Ladies conceal their thoughts and true nature.
| Power (rank) | AL | Portfolio | Domains | Home Plane |
| Titania (G) | CN | Deceit, faeries, friendship, magic | Chaos, Charm, Darkness, Fey, Magic, Trickery | Faerie |
| Damh (L) | CN | Dance, song, poetics | Chaos, Fey, Luck, Travel | Faerie |
| Eachthighern (L) | CG | Healing, loyalty, protection | Chaos, Good, Healing, Protection | Faerie |
| Emmantiensien (I) | CG | Trees, treants, natural magic | Chaos, Good, Magic, Plant | Faerie |
| Nathair Sgiathach (I) | CG | Mischief, games of chance | Chaos, Fey, Good, Luck, Scalykind | Faerie |
| Oberon (I) | N | Animals, fertility, the supernatural | Animal, Balance, Dream, Fey, Mysticism | Faerie |
| Skerrit (L) | CG | Community, freedom, centaurs | Chaos, Strength, Good, Protection | Beastlands |
| Squelaiche (D) | CN | Illusion, lies, revenge | Chaos, Fey, Retribution, Trickery | Faerie |
| Verenestra (L) | N | Charm, beauty, manipulation | Charm, Domination, Fey, Pleasure | Faerie |
The queen of the roaming Faerie Court, Titania is imperious and beautiful, powerful and incisive, yet flighty and vacuous. She watches over all fey beings, and desires nothing more for her charges than that they should live forever in blissful happiness. On a good hair day. On a bad hair day however, Titania is a wicked and capricious schemer, her plots usually aiming at exceptional mortals. She automatically turns her followers into similarly cruel creatures, and the mobile sylvan realm begins its slow travel downward, into the Lower Planes.Titania's royal consort is Oberon, the first among her many lovers, and the only being in existence that can claim to have some lasting influence on the fickle queen. They often oppose each other out of spite, and some of the notable rows have been the talk of the Court for decades.
DAMHThe Headless BardLesser PowerSymbol: Silhouette of a dancing satyr without a headPlane/Layer/Realm: Faerie/wandersAlignment: Chaotic NeutralPortfolio: Dance, song, poeticsDomains: Chaos, Fey, Luck, TravelFavored Weapon: ScimitarKnown Proxies: Tappan, CN quasi-power (male korred) Rogue 10/Bard 6Damh is the primary patron of performers, and among the fey this means a lot. He is the favored bard of the royal couple, and although his work has not always been fully appreciated, he manages to pull through mostly by playing the Queen and King against each other - when he depicts one in less than favorable light, he is protected from retribution by the other. More than once this tactic has failed him, and the Headless Bard earned his nickname on no less then six occasions. Titania and Oberon bring mortal artist to the Court all the time, but they keep coming back to Damh when their mortal toys grow old and dry. Damh is also the semi-official envoy of the Faerie Court, sent to negotiate with other pantheons. The Queen relies on him to apply just the right mixture of clever insult, bribery, or cryptic prophecy, and if he fails, he'd better be prepared to grow a new head again. Damh's worshippers include satyrs and korreds, and for some reason, a great number of atomie sprites.
EACHTHIGHERNThe Gentle CloudLesser PowerSymbol: A winged unicornPlane/Layer/Realm: Faerie/wandersAlignment: Chaotic GoodPortfolio: Healing, loyalty, protectionDomains: Chaos, Good, Healing, ProtectionFavored Weapon: Gore (shortspear)Known Proxies: Mallaen, CG quasi-power (male pegasus) Drd 10A strong contender for the "power with the least pronounceable name" title, Eachthighern is a benevolent deity of unicorns, pegasi, and other magical equines. Some believe that he is actually an aspect of a similar Faerûnian power, Mielikki. He has little love for the intrigues and subtle ploys of the other Faerie powers, but enjoys the company of these vibrant beings greatly.Although Eachthighern himself never takes part in the unseemly activities of the Unseelie Court (he usually remains on Arborea), he is known to have fathered the race of black unicorns, creatures that became infamous in Unseelie sidhe 1raids on some Prime Material worlds.
EMMANTIENSIENThe Black BirchIntermediate PowerSymbol: A branch ending in a six-fingered handPlane/Layer/Realm: Faerie/wandersAlignment: Chaotic GoodPortfolio: Trees, treants, natural magicDomains: Chaos, Good, Magic, PlantFavored Weapon: GreatclubKnown Proxies: Ushtisseht, NG quasi-power (24-HD treant) Drd 8The only plant-oriented fey power, Emmantiensien may or may not have originally been a mortal tree-creature of some kind. He is considered to be quite the player in the game of Court, and his deliberately slow, carefully weighed comments are often given in the form of a koan, which infuriates potential allies and enemies alike. Speaking of alliances, Emmantiensien used to make some strange bedfellows in the past; on several occasions, beings hunted by nature-oriented powers have sought and found refuge with the Black Birch, paying for protection only by promising him a certain boon. Druids that swear allegiance to Emmantiensien claim to have prophetic insight into some carefully guarded darks regarding the distant future of plant life on the Prime Material.
NATHAIR SGIATHACHThe Floating Jester, The SnitchIntermediate PowerSymbol: A rainbow with jagged edgesPlane/Layer/Realm: Faerie/wandersAlignment: Chaotic GoodPortfolio: Mischief, games of chanceDomains: Chaos, Fey, Good, Luck, ScalykindFavored Weapon: Claw (punch dagger)Known Proxies: Ko, CG quasi-power (female fairy dragon) Sor 17The Jester of the Faerie Court, Nathair Sgiathach is a creature of many forms. Each day he assumes a different form, although not to disguise himself (the courtiers recognize him easily), but simply to enjoy the new feeling - he claims never to have taken the same shape twice in a single millennia. Nathair is Titania's jester, amusing her by playing simple yet hardly predictable practical jokes on mortal visitors. He is fairly careful when it comes to offending a member of the court, although he can count on the Queen's protection. When in the Unseelie Court, Nathair's pranks have a vicious sadistic streak, and little else would suffice, of course. He and Oberon have little love for each other. Nathair Sgiathach is also the protector of the various dragons of Faerie, and enjoys secretly meddling in their affairs. Whether or not he is actually worshiped by these dragons is unknown, but as said before, the nature and practices of fey powers often differs from those of the "standard" deities.
OBERONThe Horned God, The Long ManIntermediate Power Symbol: A pair of antlersPlane/Layer/Realm: Faerie/wandersAlignment: NeutralPortfolio: Animals, fertility, the supernaturalDomains: Animal, Balance, Dream, Fey, MysticismFavored Weapon: Gore (shortspear)Known Proxies: Caomhin, N quasi-power (male half-elf) Sor 15Oberon is the King of all fey, albeit only in name. He holds a position in the Faerie Court that many both dread and covet - that of the official royal consort. There is little doubt that Oberon owes most of his social authority to his Queen, and he is apparently not too happy about the situation. However, subtle whispers pass the chant claiming that Oberon knows how to manipulate the Queen, often by opposing her in seemingly meaningless matters and risking her wrath. Whether or not this is the case, the fact remains that Oberon has managed to survive at the Queen's side for millennia. Some speculate that his divine power over fertility may have something to do with the fact, and many songs describe how every one of Titania's lovers had eventually failed to satiate the Queen's legendary appetite. Everyone but the Horned God, that is...
SKERRITLeaping God, SkywalkerLesser PowerSymbol: A cloud with a lightning bolt arching downwardPlane/Layer/Realm: Beastlands/Krigala/Skerrit's GladeAlignment: Chaotic GoodPortfolio: Community, freedom, centaursDomains: Chaos, Strength, Good, ProtectionFavored Weapon: SpearKnown Proxies: NoneSkerrit is a foreigner to the Faerie pantheon, only distantly related - he is the god of centaurs, and some do not number the centaurs among the true fey. Still, he is given limited rights due to long-standing traditions, and he occasionally exercises these rights by putting in his voice at the Seelie Court. He has no love for the Unseelie practices, and refuses to acknowledge his siblings during their dark times. Virtually every religiously-inclined centaur worships Skerrit, and his primary concern is preserving the few tribes that still walk the planes. He dreams of returning the race to its former glory, strengthening himself greatly, but there is little hope of this coming to pass. Skerrit's priests are usually druids and rangers.
SQUELAICHEThe Deceiver, The PuckDemi-PowerSymbol: Grinning teeth without a facePlane/Layer/Realm: Faerie/wandersAlignment: Chaotic NeutralPortfolio: Illusion, lies, revengeDomains: Chaos, Fey, Retribution, TrickeryFavored Weapon: DaggerKnown Proxies: NonePossibly the most devious of the minor players, Squelaiche is a spiteful sprite that never forgets an offense. The stories of his elaborate projects to bring ruin upon those who have done him wrong are legendary. One would assume that a being of such creativity and perseverance would have found a way upward through the complex hierarchy of the Faerie Court by now, but it seems Squelaiche is quite content where he is, a divine knight-of-the- post, never exposing himself too much, always profiting somehow in the long run.Squelaiche has a reputation of a fairly trustworthy being - as far as that goes in Faerie - and always pays his debts. Many higher powers turn to him for discrete advice and small but important services, but he gives freebies to no one. However, he does sometimes give a discount to sprites and sprite-sponsored mortals... or at least lets them believe that.
VERENESTRAGraceful Glamour, Arborean MaidLesser PowerSymbol: A lotus flowerHome Plane: FaerieAlignment: NeutralPortfolio: Charm, beauty, manipulationDomains: Charm, Domination, Fey, PleasureFavored Weapon: Unarmed strikeKnown Proxies: Fionnghuala, NG quasi-power (female swanmay)While she may be Titania's only rival in beauty, Verenestra "the Glamour" is aware of the fact that she is nowhere near a match for the Queen in personal power and influence. She is content to occasionally irritate Titania by stealing a minor consort, and never steps on her toes when important issues are resolved. Verenestra's worshipers are dryads, nymphs, nereids, sirines, and many other female beings that use their personal charisma as a tool. She encourages them to advance through manipulation as far as they are safely able to. A particularly clever and perceptive power, Verenestra is already branching out, looking for openings in other pantheons and spheres. She is ambitious and wise enough not to surround herself with equally ambitious servants and allies. Her proxy and constant companion, Fionnghuala, may or may not have already ascended to power status herself, but it is difficult to tell in Faerie.
While this info is great, I have some questions. The Fey Feature on Wizards' site listed the queens as seperate entities. If they merged, would you please explain why. Also, not all powers need possess divine rank. Orcus has a "divine rank" of Demon Prince. Couldn't Faerie Queens and such also be treated in a similiar fashion? The two courts have such opposing views and beliefs, it is very hard to see the courts coming together.
-Malys Bloodscream
They didn't merge, they were always lke that.
While I love the slaadi, I vote for the fae as the true expression of chaos, whimsical creatures that continually drift from giggling Arborea to barmy Pandemonium. Most myths (AFAIK) present them as both kind and malicious, sometimes at the same time. Their beliefs keep chaning, but they are always passionate about what they are doing...
Basically, I chose to make the Faerie Court continually alternate between CG and CE (while most mortals see only one side) to make them feel more Gaimanish (as seen in "The Sandman" books).
I like this. There's nothing wrong with the canon view that Seelie and Unseelie are separate people, but this gets closer to the old stories.
However, as a fan of Fae mythology, I just wanna point out: there ARE historical precedents for having both a Seelie and Unseelie Court; there are myths that distinguish between the courts, whose queens were considered quite separate and to be ever feuding and warring, and are named like the respective queens of the D&D PS courts. The Courts were not made of thin myth, they were the creation of hundreds of years of folklore. PS just appropriated them.
The canon views actually are quite close to the historical picture of fey in that regard.
I didn't know that about the courts. I guess I was thinking about the unpredicability of individual Fae.
Yeah, Fae/Fey are like that. However, that is what makes them interesting in some ways. They look like us (kinda), SEEM to act like us (kinda), but sure as heck AREN'T us. The fey are traditionally supposed to have a society with laws that make even today's most complex legal system look simple, but they don't care about laws all that much. Honor is often considered a thing worth warring over, but at the same time, it's as much about what the fey thinks at that time as it is about some societal code... They give and steal in equal measure. It's all part and parcel of seeing how the fae evolve through myths Nordic, Celtic and elsewhere in origin.
They as a whole are quite reasonably CN, but individuals are generally either CG or CE. "True" CNs would be almost unmanageable as NPCs/PCs, as they'd be worse in play than most kender or that party rogue which is always stealing stuff for no good reason.
Great stuff. Weren't there two other Faerie Queenes (not necessarily Powers) called Fand and Aeval as well? What are your sources for this material...it's good. I take it Spencer is in there somewhere, but dang if he isn't hard to read.
Thanks!
And, well, um, the only real source was On Hallowed Ground. Plus a little Shakespear, Pratchett, and some web comics. But the rest is just me, I'm afraid.
Don't know about multiple queens, but I did merge the Seelie/Unseelie duo into one entity. I like it better that way. Also, some of the minor faerie deities from OHG became proxies in this version.