Out of Play Racial Requirements
There is only one specific requirement for playing a fairy in the Shards of Orn system. One -must- wear a pair of wings. There are various styles of wings available on the market, with prices ranging from as low as ten dollars to as much as several hundred.
Your wings are up to you and your personality with one exception. Feathered wings are highly discouraged due to confusion with the Ixifar. If you have any question about whether your feather wings are different enough to be acceptable, send a picture to your local plot team for a ruling.
The size of your wings is very important as it can impede your range of motion and inhibit other players. A seven foot wingspan may look very lovely and impressive, but entering buildings and combat would be made much more difficult. Know your body and choose a pair of wings that will be manageable while still expressing yourself.
For the thrifty or crafty, wings can be home-made using a variety of patterns shown on the internet. Hose-based wings are cheap, quick, and quite easy to make but be prepared to replace them over time as the stocking material will probably be torn or run. Cellophane and/or vinyl wings are beautiful and much more durable, but can still break down given enough time. The most durable, long-lasting wing option is fabric-covered wire. Your fabric is much less likely to tear under normal fighting conditions. The wires may become bent, but you can simply return them to shape with a bit of gentle attention.
Guidelines for Role-Playing a Fairy
What is a fairy?
Fairies are magical creatures that resemble humanoids with wings like those of a butterfly or other winged insect. They go by several names among the non-fey, including but not limited to; fairies, fey, fae, wee folk, good folk, people of peace, and fair folk.
The origins of their race are unclear, but it's very obvious that magic is not just an affinity but part of their very being. Even a fairy who can cast no wizardly spells is capable of manifesting certain spell-like effects such as glowing or becoming invisible. Because of this magical origin, there is a very large range of appearances from fairy to fairy, even within the tribes.
If one general impression can be made of fairy personality it is that the majority of fae who encounter adventurers are energetic and curious. This is both true and untrue. The majority of fae which are encountered by outsiders are the pixies which behave very much like the children of other races. In truth fae can be sensual, calm, wizened, cruel, sedate, motherly, or even demure. That said, even the sagest or evilest fairy will have a tiny streak of silliness and playfulness buried into them. A centuries' old sidhe will still often smile and let slip with a giggle when they see pixies at play, or a boggart might play less harmful pranks on their traveling companions.
Garb and Physical Features
Fairy clothing and appearance is highly varied even within the same individual. The only general rule is that at all times a fairy in its natural form will have a pair of wings sprouting from somewhere on its body. Usually these wings grow straight out from the shoulders, though it's not entirely unheard of to see a fairy with wings that sprout from its lower back or other locations on along the dorsal side of the torso. At times a fairy may have need to change its wings, this process is sometimes mildly uncomfortable, but generally is simply a brief inconvenience. This is known as “molting.” The fairy builds a cocoon of comfortable and/or natural materials and sleeps very deeply for a span of hours or days, emerging with a fresh new pair of wings.
Aside from wings, fae tribes have features that are considered normal to that tribe but are not present in every single individual. These features can also occur at random in other tribes and can include, but are not limited to: slender butterfly-like antennae, small horn-like nubs on the forehead, glittering skin, elaborate facial markings, and wildly colorful skin. If you choose to manifest these features in your character please be careful to make sure that you aren't mistaken for another race.
Fairy clothing can run the gamut, from heavy armor to gauzy dresses but in general one expects to see a fae wearing clothing which is light-weight and colorful. Some fae even choose to clothe themselves with natural materials such as bark and leaves or to incorporate these things into their more mundane clothing.
Fairy markings are a unique phenomenon. They behave much like human makeup with the convenience of not needing to be applied or maintained. It's generally assumed by those who study magic to be some sort of very weak illusory ability. The markings can be changed at the will of the fae bearing them but are not convincing enough to fool an onlooker into thinking the fae is something or someone else. This is repped by wearing makeup. But there is no need to keep your makeup for the markings the same from event to event.
While childrens' stories might be full of fairies the size of dolls, in truth there are no fairies known to outsiders below the size of a normal humanoid. Fairies can be both short and squat or exceptionally tall and willowy. In general however, most fae are a touch shorter than the average human.
Birth, and Lifespan
There are some conflicting theories about the birthing habits of fairies, usually induced by the word of fairies themselves. Quite often a pixie will be asked where they come from and will pass along their own misunderstanding. Among the more popular stories are that they hatch from eggs or budding flowers. None of these are true. Fairies are actually conceived quite mundanely and born in the same way.
The fae mature physically at a similar rate to humans, but unlike humans their aging process slows to a crawl or stop at adulthood. With no outside influence a fairy can live well past several centuries. There are even some rumors that the elder-most fae are as old as Orn itself. It's rare to see a fairy that appears older than a young adult, but for various reasons (actual age usually being the least of which) some can appear middle-aged or even wrinkled and white-haired.
Fairies age in two ways, the first being chronologically and physically and the second being mentally. This is beyond simple mindset however. A pixie which appears as an adult to those outside the race is still physiologically incapable of bearing children, this is probably caused by the magic in their system as much of the fae race seems to come down to mind over matter.
The fairy aging system does not use years or even numbers at all. Instead, one begins as an enfant. The enfant are almost identical in behavior to the infants of humans except that they learn much faster. Enfant have been known to begin speaking within a few days of birth...and some have been known to have not -stopped- speaking since.
The progression from enfant to pixie occurs at a similar pace and in similar methods as that of infant to child. The fae can actually develop all the way to what appears to be an adult (to non-fae) while still in this stage of development. Pixies are loud, boisterous, and embody the purest form of their emotions. Their wild mood swings are severe in range but tend to change as quickly as the weather. One might say that pixies are caricatures of themselves.
The magic of the fairy aging system really comes into play once the pixies reach an age of around sixteen years. At this time, the pixie's mental state takes priority over chronological or physical age. A pixie left undisturbed will play and laugh and remain in their childlike state until death. But for many reasons, a pixie's mental state can cause a remarkable change. It is called the metamorphosis. Sometimes this is triggered by social responsibility, sometimes by the desire to take on a mate and have children, or a myriad of other personal reasons.
During the metamorphosis the pixie goes into seclusion or, preferably, to a mound or a glen. Once there they build a large cocoon or nest out of natural materials (and sometimes whatever shiny objects they bring from their adventures.) After entering this cocoon the fae will rest for a period of days or weeks. After emerging the pixie may appear largely unchanged physically, but their personality, emotional state, and physiology will now be that of a young or middle-aged adult. At this point the fairy is known as a sylph and becomes fully capable of bearing offspring.
Again, some fae become sylph and choose never to change again, but in some cases the fae will for similar reasons, pass from the stage of adulthood to what we may call an elder or sage. This is is triggered by another metamorphosis and such fae are then known as sidhe by the others. The sidhe are often only set apart by their very sedate personalities, but sometimes they do emerge from their cocoon with white to grey hair or wrinkles on their faces.
Lifestyle
The fae tend to group together in forests known as Shee-Glens or living under large grassy mounds which are referred to as Shee-mounds. Because of the large number of fae within a shee-mound or shee-glen they are generally well-protected from outsiders by the most experienced and magically inclined members of the group within. This protection can range from making the entire community invisible to the untrained eye, or filling the forest and/or surrounding area with magical creatures that discourage the curious passerby.
Even outside of glens or shee-mounds fairies are usually social creatures and like to roam in troupes. If a fairy is left without a group of their own kind, they'll often attach themselves to a family of another race, a pack of animals, or an adventuring group.
Politics
Each one of the fairy tribes falls into one of two political mindsets known as courts. The courts are a political force within the shee-mounds and shee-glens and generally have a council that governs each individual mound or glen. The courts try not to involve themselves in the politics of outsiders unless it directly involves the fae race at large.
The Seelie court is known as the court of light or the court of summer. The tribes belonging to this court believe in the power of kindness and being light of heart. A Seelie fae will generally have a pleasant sociable demeanor.
The Unseelie court is the court of darkness and winter. These fae are not evil in its strictest sense. Instead, they are more likely to be inclined toward those things that are negative in all of us; selfishness, slothfulness, cruelty, and jealousy. They tend to be a touch more antisocial than the seelie but would still prefer to travel in a troupe. Players wishing to designate their Fairy character as Unseelie must receive Plot approval in advance.
Councils vary slightly from place to place, but as a general rule each council consists of not only the most respected and experienced fairies of the area but must include at least one fae of each stage of life so that every point of view can be heard. This includes the pixies and enfants. The enfant(s) of the council are most often the offspring of another council member and enjoy this chance to ask more questions. The pixies however, no matter their age, often avoid council duty like a plague. It isn't unheard of for a council to send someone out to grab the first pixie they see and drag them into the meeting (against their will) so that they may legally begin the session.
Tribes
The fae are unique in that not only are they divided into an almost limitless number of tribes (only a very small fraction of which will be discussed here). But these tribes each manifest unique traits not only in personality like those of other races, but also in physical appearance and unique physiological markers.
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Papilio or Ulysses (Seelie) – Named for the butterflies that swarm in their tribal home, the fairies of this clan are recognized most easily by their sweet scent, and unusual dependence on sugar. Their skin is covered in colored or metallic sparkles that cause them to shine in the sunlight. This sparkling is caused by the strange way in which their metabolism supports itself. The Ulysses fae are forced to consume sugar or nectar, which is then secreted in their sweat, causing their distinct sparkling. If a Ulysses goes too long without some form of sugar, their body begins a forced hibernation which causes them to fall asleep, no matter the situation or inconvenience. This hibernation will end after five minutes of uninterrupted rest or the force-feeding of sugar. Their body is so attuned to process sugar in fact, that its effect on them is instantaneous. Due to their level of sugar consumption the Ulysses also have a very distinct flavor similar to that of marshmallows.
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Sluagh (Unseelie--Plot Approval Required) – The Sluagh are a vicious people, cruel like the Boggart but jaded toward simple inconveniences and pranks. Instead the Sluagh prefer bloodshed and, when unable to find monsters to combat will often turn on their companions or find innocent victims. Because of this they often become bounty hunters, cutting swaths through the wanted of a particular kingdom in remarkable time. They often keep their skin blackened, either with markings or makeup and clothing to further blend into the night. Like the Papilio they're dependant on something besides food to sustain themselves, but that thing is violence. A Slaugh enjoys bathing in the blood of enemies so much that when one goes several hours without killing, anything, they'll begin to seek out a victim and become more and more desperate in their search. They don't pass out like the Papilio, but this search will escalate until -something- is killed. A Sluagh pushed to the edge is capable of killing even a boon companion in full view of many witnesses.
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Brownies (Seelie) – Brownies are a kind, giving people. They enjoy labor and helping others just as much as they (and other fairies) enjoy having fun. They've been named after their appearance which is usually somewhat tanned or freckled from working outdoors. Their love of labor often leads them to work in the households of other races if they don't have a farm of their own. Brownies feel a natural kinship and draw toward gnomes, due to their similar personalities and it's not at all rare to see a brownie handfasted to one.
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Boggarts (Unseelie--Plot Approval Required) – What Brownies are to helping a household, boggarts are to upsetting the lives of other races. They enjoy pranks, but unlike the (mostly) harmless pranks of their cousin fae, their pranks can sink into the downright cruel. Boggarts love nothing more than to let livestock loose, or to sneak into homes and break things just to watch the family suffer later. Even better if they can get payment. Boggarts will often take up contracts to harass a family or individual for periods ranging from a few days to years. Some exceedingly unlucky families of shorter-lived races have been plagued by a single Boggart through several generations. Boggarts often have a greenish hue to their skin and their general appearance tends to be rather rough and ragged with tattered wings.
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Leanan (Seelie) - Leanan is said to mean sweetheart, and it's no wonder when one has the pleasure of meeting one. The Leanan are a remarkably built people, beautiful and charming in an almost otherworldly way. They tend to wear flowers and plants in their hair and on their clothing and, in contrast to this, like to dress in expensive and well-made items. They are by far and away the most influential of the seelie at this time and even their pixies often have a hint of regality about them. They enjoy art and pursue perfection in both their chosen hobbies and indeed in everything they do. Because of this, non-fae artists often approach the Leanan and request an apprenticeship.
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Fear Dearg (Unseelie--Plot Approval Required) – The Fear Dearg, or red men are a lecherous, leering sort of folk. They like to think themselves the nobility of the unseelie, but only because they tend to be more able to appear moderately charming to the outside races. They often have small nub-like horns on their temples and are one of the few fae races with a tail. This tail is long and whip-like, sometimes with a sharp spike or arrow-head shape at the tip. Despite these features, the red folk are often dangerously beautiful and delight in leading others into danger with their silver tongues.