Glossary
PLACES
Founders: Muriel Kuthliele (humanized as Maryonne) second-in-command to General Threnvanne Sanyelle/Raniel Temthrennes (Renaud Gautier). With them, Nora of Avallonne. Baroun was a young squire and Danon was a baby.
Located in alt earth Canada, north of the Pacific Northwest. The city is split into Districts, each ruled by a Lord with near-feudal autonomy. Low-tech by choice, using a mix of solar power, clean energy, and gas lamps, as magic replaces most technology.
Ninephe - Ruling city/state in Renaud’s home Realm. Has its hand around the throat of everyone on the continent. Inland.
Avallonne - Island, patron Ancient Psion, abandoned for thousands of years. Raniel, Muriel, and Nur’s childhood home until it was conquered by Nayya and Assariel to rescue the kidnapped Raniel.
Alethanndrea - Ancient coastal sunken city active at the time Ninephe was founded by Lord-General Aiwah Temsurah and Lord-General Daoudanneth Therennessa (original ancestors of the Temthrennes line.) Ruled by the extinct, and feared, Dragon Fae species.
If there are still descendent of those Dragons alive, they keep that shit to themselves.
It is rumored—by people who usually mysteriously die after opening their big fat mouths—that the Temthrennes line is the remnant of the last great ruling House of the Dragon empire.
ANCIENTS (LIVING GODS)
Juhainah - The Dark Fae Ancient, Chaos Goddess of Night and Mother of all non-human Dark Fae. Has been sleeping for 25,000 years. All Dark Fae traits originate from her bloodline.
Assariel “Stormthrone” Temthrennes - An Ancient currently awake, God of Storms with powers over weather and emotions. ‘Storm’ also means emotion when inflected properly. Co-ruler of the city of Ninephe, father of Raniel/Renaud.
Nayya “Gravenrose” Gravvanne - An Ancient currently awake, former mortal, Goddess of Fertility and Spring (with inverse powers over Death and Winter). Co-ruler of Ninephe, mother of Raniel/Renaud. Juhainah’s bloodline .
There are others not yet depicted. Psion, Lucithethann “Lucithe” (Juhainah’s stalker/soulmate/antithesis), and others
CASTES — average working class civilian who can light a candle —Not very Low Fae: High Lord Manuelle, for example
Halflings
Those who are half-Fae, half-human. Often face discrimination (if weak) and are assumed to have limited magical abilities.
Human and Adalessikai (Fae) blood doesn’t cross predictably, so halfling development is always different.
Life spans are unpredictable. The halfling can inherit all traits of the Fae parent, some, or none.
There are also quarterlings, but after your blood is thinned to less than one full Fae grandparent, they stop counting you unless through a quirk of genetics your traits are dominant Fae.
Then they’ll just call you a halfling for simplicity .
Human bloodlines rich with magic are considered to be descendants of Fae who continued to intermarry.
Otieno and Fatma’s family is one such. Fae ancestor or two, and then the humans kept breeding with other halflings/quarterlings, etc.
Their phenotype and lifespan is mortal, but they have power.
If they have a child with a full Fae, that halfling typically takes on 60% or more Fae traits.
Aerinne is considered on the cusp of being full Fae, and it is expected she has inherited her mother’s lifespan (her physical and mental development is closer to Fae than human.
She is chronologically 28, physically about 21, but mentally/emotionally was about 16 till she hit 25, then made a leap so everything is synchronized with her chronological age now.
Also, trauma, responsibility, and war have mentally aged her, so it’s hard to say.
She’ll continue to develop at a slower Fae pace.) Her ears are round, and she is a touch less physically strong than a full Fae female, but that is the only visible difference and not a big deal since it can be overcome with training and conditioning.
Fae are practical. If you have power, welcome to the club and how can we use you.
Lela, Fatma, and M?r?ngar? are all witches/warlocks. It’s not a secret, but for reasons they don’t advertise it.
“Upper caste/High caste”
Informal term for anyone who would be considered what we call gentry. Wealthy, typically ranked in a House or at least a Branch (offshoot of a House) magically strong, politically powerful, etc .
“Low caste”
Kinda self-explanatory.
RANKS
HIGH LORD
A High Fae who is part of the High Court. Usually also a House Lord, but not always. Gender-neutral title that represents the highest rank within a House's hierarchy. House Lords may address each other as High Lord out of courtesy and vanity, even if they are not High Fae. Many are on the cusp.
HOUSE LORD
Ruler of a House. Can be High or Low Fae. Used interchangeably with the title High Lord
LORD
A person of rank within a House. May also be part of the Low Court. Gender-neutral title used for those with political standing but varying magical power. District Lords fall under this title.
REGENT
One who rules a House in place of the rightful Lord "for Reasons" - typically when the true High Lord is absent, imprisoned, or incapacitated
HEIR
The officially recognized successor to a House, serving as de facto second-in-comman d
HEIR PRESUMPTIVE
The heir-in-waiting who, "for Reasons," has not been legally sworn in as official Heir
COMMANDER
Leader of a House's military forces
White Guard Exception
Members of the Prince's White Guard surrender all House affiliations and titles, becoming nameless extensions of the throne's will. This represents the ultimate sacrifice of individual identity for service
KNIGHT/CHEVALIER
Warrior sworn into House service, May be addressed as Sir (archaic) or informally as Chevalier
MAGIC
Magic is ambient energy. All Fae possess some degree of ability to manipulate it through force of will.
Even Low Fae can create weak personal shields, balls of light, and minor telekinesis.
Training is simply teaching one’s mind the constructs and patterns through which they force their will to create the outcomes they want.
Affinities
Trainable and reproducible magical talents.
Like learning a skill (little s) - anyone with sufficient power and training can learn, though natural talent varies.
It’s like the difference between being competent at math, and being a math wizard.
Everyone knows pre algebra at least, but few people master calculus. Examples include:
· Windwarden - Control over air and wind
· Healing - Restoration of injuries
· Telepathy - Mind-to-mind communication (lost in the crossing to Earth)
· Telekinesis - Moving objects with the mind
· Flame throwing - Fire manipulation
General Abilities
Shield: A personal and flexible magical force field that repels magical and physical attacks depending on the strength and craft of the shield. Incredibly difficult to maintain for Low Fae with minimal power so they mostly don't bother
Ward: A stationary magical defense, mostly used to guard buildings, land, objects, etc. Can be keyed to a particular person
Glamour: Illusion designed to trick sight. Fae mostly use it on humans. They don’t bother much with each other
Compulsion: A form of mental glamour used to influence another’s will. In its strong form is called Coercion. Don’t try this shit on someone who can fight back
Skills (with capital S)