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Fey relations with Humans

Fey relations with Humans
Fey relations with Humans – AI Generated Artwork – NightCafe Creator

Fey usually see mortals either as children of the gods (a status which may merit loathing, fear, distrust, apathy, or in rare cases respect, depending on the gods and fey in question) or as the descendants of lost and foolish fey.

Songs of the Sidhe by David Ross

Their most common attitude toward mortals is distrust, although they are attracted to demonstrations of remarkable talent or skill. Fey usually avoid large groups of mortals, especially cities. Big and complex mortal societies, especially those that wield higher technologies, are seen as either annoying rivals for control of the land or blights on the face of nature by most fey; Seelie fey generally avoid these places, while Unseelie, Wild, and Demesne fey may avoid them or attempt to ruin them.

Most fey find the mortal capacity to indirectly shape fey realms to be a constant source of aggravation. Any alteration of the landscape can create an echo in Faerie that alters the playing field of the fey factions nearby and may inadvertently have catastrophic consequences. Some fey choose to use this to their advantage, attempting to coax mortals into taking actions that will benefit them. For example, a plains-dwelling daoine sidhe at war with a river nymph may offer a great boon to a mortal dam-builder if he will block the nymph’s river despite the enchanted animals and dangerous fey she sends to stop him.

Seelie are most often willing to help mortals because they see in mortals a great potential to work in harmony in nature. These fey will continue to pursue the goal of harmony even if that potential very often goes unrealized. When there is success, it is beautiful. A land tended by druids or shamans who lead respectful people is a land of exceptional vibrance and stability, empowering the Seelie while benefiting most of the resident life.

Unseelie, on the other hand, take a fatalistic approach. They know mortals usually invade and disrupt the natural realms the Unseelie draw power from, and so many Unseelie assume that is the inevitable result of mortal society-building – any time a mortal group gets stable enough, they hold, it eventually leads to over-development and trouble for the fey.

Some powerful fey such as zephyrs and verdant princes, especially those who do not belong to specific courts, encourage mortals to see them as local gods. They do not often demand worship, but they do demand offerings and reverence in exchange for good weather, the prevention of a volcanic eruption, or other protections against the dangers of nature. Such a situation often leads to conflict with the followers of true gods.

Occasionally, a nature spirit that helps or harms mortals will attract worship from them it does not want, either because it does not want to earn the ire of true divinities or because it wants to be left alone. Nearly all fey agree that mortal roads (not mere trails) are bothersome, since they are essentially land useless for any purpose other than making travel easier for sapient beings.

Similar attitudes also apply to mortal architecture. So, road-builders (and other builders who work out in pristine nature) are often the subject of fey pranks and more dangerous opposition. It is a battle that is difficult to win once mortals start gaining ground; the more civilisation spreads into an area, the less nature there is to support fey defenders. Even after construction is complete, hostile fey (of all courts) are commonly found at crossroads in the wilderness; they are especially attracted to such places as symbols of transition from nature to civilisation that are surrounded on all sides by nature.

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