Fae Encounter Tips

1. Always be polite, smile, stand up straight, make eye contact. If you MUST count their fingers to ensure they're a fae, be very careful to do it subtly - staring for too long is very rude.

2. When they ask for your name, do NOT give it. Say "I cannot give you my name, however you may refer to me as [Insert Fake Name]".

2a. "Ainsel" (short for "Me Aan Sel", meaning "My Own Self") is a good fake name - any Fae trying to use said name to put a spell on you will only end up applying it to themselves. However, beware that this comes from a fairly famous fairytale, thus older and wiser Fae may be aware of the trick and not take kindly to it.

2b. A Fae may also extend their hand to "take" your name - the handing over gesture further solidifies the power they are taking over your identity. Do your best to avoid the handshake, even with a fake name - consider wearing an iron/silver/metallic ring. Not wanting to touch the Fae with it for fear of hurting them can be a believable and polite excuse.

2c. Do not ask a Fae for their name - they might take it as you trying to claim power over them. Ask them how you may refer to them, instead.

3. Do not refer to Fae as such directly to their face - call them one of the euphemistic terms, such as "Good/Fair/Blessed/Wee/Hill Folk", "The Good Neighbors" or "The People of Peace". Remember that "Fairy" and subsequently "Fae" is a shortening of "Fair Folk", designed for humans, and is essentially impolite slang.

4. Do not accept any gifts or favours. Fae do not give gifts without expecting something in return, and you do not want to owe them anything if you can help it.

4a. Accepting food will forever bind you to their realm - you will not be able to find your way back, and will soon forget your human life. This might be something you want - I can't make that judgement call for you.

4b. Decline politely - do NOT say thank you (as even without accepting the gift/favour, this will count as a debt), but do acknowledge their generosity. Have a good excuse ready.

4c. Should you, unwittingly, end up owing a Fae something, be sure to put out a dish of cream/milk as soon as you return home. Hope that they accept it as payment.

5. Do not follow a Fae to a third location. You never know when you'll be able to get back from it - even if a Fae is not malicious or mischevious, time does not pass for them as it does for us - you may return home to find that centuries have passed.

6. Do not lie, do not be rude, and do not yell - do try and use double-talk and thick quickly on your feet. Fae thrive on technicalities and loopholes, and exploiting them yourself will not be considered rude.

7. Ensure that the Fae doesn't owe YOU anything, either - insist you aren't able to help them if they ask, do not save them if they appear trapped, etc. A Fae owing you is no less dangerous than you owing a Fae - unless you're in DIRE need, make your best effort to leave the encounter with neither of you owing anything to the other.

8. Once you return home, check to see that nothing is missing, that nothing is broken, that your pets are safe and their fur isn't tangled, watch for small footprints or various little items that weren't there before - if you did everything right, there should be no signs of Fae interference.

8a. If you do find signs of Fae interference, put out an offering far away from your house as soon as possible.

8b. Items left by Fae in your house should be given back with said offering - loudly acknowledge their generosity and that you simply can't accept their offer. Return home quickly. Consider putting a horseshoe on your door.

I heard y'all bring up Fae! Gaz and my brain immediately went brrrr. I just love him sm. As for his darling, and this is just a random thought I had so take it with a grain of salt, but since you're saying that he deals in well, deals, how about he meets his Darling who's in especially dire straits, but she has a very unusual and large request of him. She'd like him to make everyone in her hometown disappear without a trace, with no one to remember them. And when Gaz reminds her that this favor comes at a steep price, he's a little put off by how resigned and matter of fact she is to all of this. Kinda like he asks her, "What are you getting out of all this?" and she replies "Peace of mind." Sorry for the word vomit, but I thought I'd share this with you! 😅

OK Aaah! Yes thank you for sending me your Gaz thoughts. I am percolating. I think this is a big ask for the Fae Man, too big an ask... This is, hmmmmmm, I am going to use this as a little jumping off point. I do not think that this is Gaz's Darling, but it isn't not his Darling. I think Gaz has had many Darlings while they are indebted to him, and once they clear the debt they move on. Poor lonely Gaz...

There's a bend in the forest, a bow in the trail where it moves to avoid the faerie mound. The soft grass and clover that always grows mushrooms in perfect circles, a place that sensible people avoid like the plague. Unless they have very good, or very poor, reason to be there. You stop just at the edge of the path, steps away from the lush green.

You wrap your arms around yourself, one last hug before you go. A kindness only you can afford yourself. The air is still as you step off the path, your feet carrying you to the nearest circle. You drop to your knees, eyes squeezed shut as you stretch your fingers through the grass between the red caps. You don't know how this is supposed to work, but you're desperate.

"Please," You whisper, "please," you implore. A hand settles on your head, soft, gentle for who it must be touching you.

"What's wrong, bug?" A kind voice asks above you, "Don't you have anyone else to cry to?"

You shake your head under the hand, his fingers pet through your hair sympathetically. "No, you never do, do you?" He mumbles to himself, you open your eyes to look up at him. He's crouched in the center of the circle, elbow resting on his knee, chin propped in his hand, he smiles at you. You've never seen anyone look so warmly at you. "What can I do for you?"

"I want to leave," You tell him plainly. He shrugs.

"So leave." You flinch.

"It's not that easy."

"Sure it is, pick a direction and start walking." He raises a brow at you, fingers sliding along a strand of your hair before dropping it, he pokes your forehead, "Tell me what you really want."

"I want you to steal me away," You say, it bubbles up in your throat and drips golden from your lips. You cough, heaving magical truth. "I want to be forgotten, I want to be anyone but myself, I want to leave without the heartache of leaving." He taps your forehead again.

"That's enough." He tells you, you speak your Name before the gold leaves you and his hand snaps over your lips. "That's enough," He snarls, annoyance flashing in his eyes. You both know it's an offer he can't resist. He sighs, watching you with something bordering on boredom.

"Stupid girl," He says finally, "you don't care what it costs, do you?" You shake your head, his hand over your mouth moves with you. He stands, pulling you up with him. When he releases you it's only to hold his hand out to you. "Come on then, of your own volition."

You don't hesitate, taking his hand and letting him drag you into the circle. He holds you so close against his chest, tips your head back and kisses you like he's pouring honey down your throat. You swallow the offered succor, and forget.

don't know if it means the requests are open but-

here are some ideas I'm dying to read :

A) a Yuu that knows well about the fae and refuses to give their true name to the fae boys, say "thank you" directly (it's better to say that you appreciate it bc otherwise you put yourself in debt) etc...

B) A Yuu that is a girl but uses shapeshifting potions to attend school, how others find out, if they keep the secret, if Azul makes them sign a contract...

C) Reader who instead of being a happy-go-lucky type is super calm, collected and even a little bit evil if you will

I am SO sorry this took me so long, hopefully it was worth the wait.

Yuu with knowledge about fae creatures.

Malleus:

Truly, I don’t believe Malleus would understand. He never really gets invited to things so he’s hardly ever around humans. Not to mention the rest of the student body fear him.

While he knows that you don’t fear him, he wouldn’t go as far as to believe that you would refuse a gift from him based on some legends from your world.

It’s no secret that dragons enjoy shiny things, so when Malleus saw a Diamond incrusted bracelet his mind instantly went to you. He bought it without a second thought. He just had to find the right moment to give it to you. He knew that you’d love it.

It didn’t take long for the dragon to find you leaving the usual bench you’d do your homework on, it was much quieter than at Ramshackle with Grim. He quickly made his way over to you, calling you the nickname you had told all of Diasomnia to cal you, excited to show you the treasure he got you. When he opened the box your eyes lit up, “Malleus, it’s beautiful!”

Your reaction brought a soft smile to the boys face, “Here. It’s yours.” He frowned as your face dropped and he could have sworn he saw a quick moment of panic in your eyes.

“Oh-. I-. That’s very sweet of you Malleus,” his heart swelled with pride at your words but soon deflated as you continued on, “but I can’t accept this. I’m sorry.”

Malleus watched as you left, he had worried he made you uncomfortable. But he chalked it up to you not knowing him for long, maybe you just didn’t wish to accept such an expensive gift so soon. He had sworn that he would try again.

He had a short talk with Lilia about your reaction when you got back, Lilia felt bad for the boy he practically raised for not realizing the truth. But Lilia didn’t want to be the one to break his heart. Malleus would find out soon enough why you refused the gift.

You both still went on your evening stroll despite how awkward it felt. If Grim was there he could practically bite through the air. You both quietly talked about studies, the occasional question from Malleus on if you can remember anything new from your world. Until Malleus spotted some wild flowers growing beside the path. You were still going ahead talking about random things Grim says until you noticed the boy no longer with you and turned around to find the dragon knelt on the ground picking flowers.

Part of you wanted to take a picture of him with your ghost camera, but before you could he turned to you holding the small bouquet he picked for you. “For you, child of man.” He took note again on how you fidgeted.

“Malleus, I ca-“ he cut you off with a slight frown. “You can. They’re for you. I don’t understand why you keep rejecting… me.” Watching him connect the dots was enough to rip someone’s heart out. “It’s because what I am, isn’t it?”

He knew about the superstitions that humans had about fae, but he had assume with as much time as you spent with him that you would know him better than that. “I would never try to trick you into a debt, you’re too important to me.”

You took his arm in your hand trying to avoid the talk. The walk back to Ramshackle was silent, Malleus was close to giving up. That morning he found a small box on the desk of his first class along with a note that read, “If I give you a gift first, you’re in debt to me. Not the other way around.”

He opened the box with a soft smile to find a small plush dragon and a doll with a crown. He heart swelled, he smiled widely not caring about anyone staring. He was excited to be able to give you gifts now. It meant more than anything to him.

Lilia:

Lilia has been around for a long, long, long, long, long… you get the gist. The point is, Lilia would understand right away why you refused his gift. Does that make it hurt any less? No. The man fought in a war for this, and the human he cares about refuses to accept a gift from him.

Contrary to popular belief, Lilia wouldn’t tease you about it. That’s one of the few things he believes to be off limits.

Lilia has many things in his collection. He’s been around so long, he’s seen just about everything. Things from past lovers, past friends. I believe he buys something special, like a necklace, for each of his past lovers. That way once they’re gone he has something to remember them by.

Lilia finally found the perfect one for you. The color of the pendant went with your eyes perfectly. When adorn on your neck it would truly bring out the sparkle in your eyes. So of course he had to gift it to you, it would be a crime not to. Beauty deserves to be with beauty.

But the reaction in your eyes wasn’t the one he was hoping for. He watched as fear flashed through your eyes momentarily, he knew that fear. He had seen it many times in the eyes of humans longs before. He truly hoped he would never see it in yours. The thought was enough to send a shock of pain through his heart, but seeing it in person? That was a completely different feeling of pain.

“Lilia… I… I can’t accept this..” he watched helplessly as you shuddered out. He knew he had done nothing wrong for you to believe he would trick you in such a way. It was just a cause of humans fearing what they don’t understand. You didn’t fully understand his culture, so of course you would be afraid. Those fearful humans had been telling you stories of evil Fae for… probably when you were as small as Silver was when he took him in.

He looked down at the pendant before looking back to you, “You don’t have to accept it now beastie. I understand.”

“Lilia I-..”

“Beastie… it’s alright. How about we go for a walk? We could stop at Sam’s shop and buy some more tuna for Grim? Maybe… prank the first years? Hm?”

He was quickly back to his cheerful self knowing that soon you would come around to accepting his gifts. You never could deny him for long.

And he was correct with his assumption. He was curious when Ace originally had approached him with a small box. The ginger boy said it was from you. Lilia held his excitement in as much as he could when he opened the box.

Where he was met with a little plush bat holding a heart.

He knew that this meant that you were finally accepting the idea of presents.

Wow. Three days. You really held out there, huh Y/n?

Sebek:

I truly believe Sebek would be the least understanding, given his already low opinions on humans. He would be quite offended, on Malleus’s part he claims, that you’d refuse such a gift. Truly, he’s hurt. He doesn’t understand why you would believe such foolish rumors about the Fae. But of course you’re human. Humans are such foolish creatures alone.

He tries to talk to Lilia about it, and for once Lilia is honest. Telling Sebek about how humans believe Fae to trick humans into debt. Whether it be for labor, their children, any “important” looking object. Or just to mess with them.

At first Sebek couldn’t believe how anyone could believe those preposterous tales, but humans aren’t the smartest of creatures. That he knows for sure.

Sebek was, of course not thinking about you at all that’s ridiculous human stop making assumptions, running errands for Master Lilia. He needed to get a few things for the next concoction that Master Lilia would make for dinner. Sevens help everyone in the dorm.

He saw it. A small brooch.

The brooch was a small mouse. He didn’t know why, but it called to him. Instantly he, regretfully, thought of you. He didn’t understand why. But before he could ask himself, he had already paid and was halfway back to his own dorm. Ready to give you the brooch the next day.

“HUMAN!” His voice could be heard all through the courtyard. You turned on instinct just for him to hold out his hand with the small brooch sitting inside of his palm.

“Oh Sebek! It’s very cute!”

“… Human! I got this as a… kind gesture! You may take it now.” He watched you impatiently as you froze slightly. That wasn’t the reaction he was expecting, and he didn’t like that.

“That’s… very sweet of you Sebek. But… I can‘t take this.”

It was almost like a train had just rammed right over his heart. He didn’t understand this feeling. Why does he care if he disappoints you? Why does he care how you view him? For once Sebek was speechless.

“.. I have to go.. I’ll see you later Sebek..”

He watched as you left for the next class, in shock. He didn’t understand half of the things going on in his head. He tried again the next day, but same answer. He sat and listened to all of Lilias stories.

He was disappointed. Humans are shallow horrible creatures, but he truly thought you were better. He tried to see you as little as possible.

Of course until you started approaching him at lunch with a small box. He couldn’t run. He couldn’t leave Young Master alone. So, he had to face you.

Before he could speak you held out the small box to him. He looked at the box before looking up at you.

“.. open it!”

He thought about returning it back to you like you refused to take the brooch from him. But he had already started opening it and pulling out what was hidden inside before he could register what was happening.

What he pulled out wasn’t what he had expected. In his hands sat a small, hand made, plush cat.

He looked up at you confused.

“… you said your mother is a nocturnal Fae… cats are… nocturnal.. so I thought…”

He sat there, dumbfounded. He always thought humans were shallow creatures. But you hand made him a gift, keeping in mind what type of Fae he told you his mother was.

Without thinking he reached into his pocket, pulling out the broach and pinning it onto your uniform.

“… thank you Human.”

Chapter 1

I dont intend to post the chapters in succession, but maybe just a few favorites would be nice. This is based on my favorite fae, the ghillie-dhu, and as many doubts as I've had, I've always kept this one passage. I only hope it means well to you

Year 3702 BT

“Why do you cry, girl?” It was a simple question, never easily answered, but it came from such a soft and honest voice that she at first did not notice the teeth behind the kind smile. Ivy stared at him for a moment, a man dressed in green with moss growing over his shoulders and down his cape. His hair was wavy and black, and his eyes a pale yellow and ever changing, like a cat’s. She watched the pupils grow from slivers as he spoke again. “Why do you cry, girl?” Her own voice sounded like a lamb’s bleat, something she was not used to. But this was not home. This was not a place to be used-to. “I want to go home.” The creature grinned again, with teeth that were certainly not human. Ivy knew that if she had seen him from a distance, she most certainly would have ran, but here close she could see the humanness in his face and the warmth in his laugh. “I know all the trails,” he assured her. “The rabbit’s trail, the mouse’s trail, that of the deer and that of the man. Tell me—where is it you want to go?” “Home,” she bleated at once. But of course that made no sense. Not to him. “Whythiecomb.” The man in green nodded, and reached out a hand. A normal, human hand. “I will show you the way.” Ivy put her hand in his, and was a bit surprised to find it warm. But what had she expected? A cold, dead one? The fae were living creatures, too, after all. She walked with him out of the briar patch and stepped onto a trod path that had not been there before. Or else, if it had, she would have found it and followed it, right? The girl did not even know up from down in this forest anymore, not with night falling. Maybe the path had been there, and she had just been too tired to notice. Regardless, the dirt felt better on her bare feet, and the forest not nearly so scary with someone there for comfort and guidance. “Thank you,” she breathed, watching out the other way. “Do not thank anyone in the fae forest,” the black-haired man warned. “Someone might think that you owe them a favor if you say those words.” Ivy looked up at him. His tone felt different, but still gentle towards her, and his face was still on the road. “What do I say instead?” she asked. The fae was quiet for a moment, and she watched his yellow eyes dart around as he searched for the right thing to say. “You do not say. You choose some small thing to do or say instead.” He held up a silver hand, pointing up. “But you do not owe me a thing. Understood?” “Yeah.” She said on reflex, and he could tell she did not. His strange eyes turned back to her. Was it worth explaining? They had a little ways to go yet. He turned back to the road and drew a breath. “If you speak the thanks, the other person takes it as an owed debt, and they can choose to take it from you whenever they like, but you act out the thanks yourself, you get to choose. Sometimes all it has to be is leaving out a bowl of cream, or a shiny trinket. Does not have to be much.” Ivy tugged on his hand. “Isn’t a bowl of cream for cats? Do you like cream?” The fae chuckled under his breath and tugged her hand in turn. “No, girl. I asked for no thanks. I am just warning you if you were to meet someone else. But don’t come back this way again, yea? There are beasts in these woods that would like to eat little girls like you.” “No, there’re not.” she said at once. “Yes, there are,” he insisted. “Do not come back. I will not be here. I will not let you find me if you look. It is not safe.” He slowed to a stop as the treeline faded into a grassy field, and beyond lie a mill and farm and a pen with goats. The fae knelt down in the tall grass and set his other hand atop hers and looked her in the eye with his strange ones. She watched as his cheeks smiled kindly, and the darks of his eyes grew big. “But if you are ever lost in the woods again, you can call me, and I will come find you.” Her face drooped as she realized she would have to leave soon. “How will I call you?” she asked.

“I am Morad. Do you think you can remember that?” He cocked his head at her. “You are quite young. You may not.” “I will!” she said at once, bouncing on her feet. “I will, I promise!” Worry flashed in his eyes, followed by bemusement before his sharp-toothed grin returned and he shook his head. “Well, what is my name, then?” She stopped and stared at him. “Uhhhhm….” Another quiet chuckle stirred in his throat. “Morad,” he reminded. “My name is Morad.” “Morad,” she repeated back, then looked at him rather puzzled. “That’s a weird name.” The fae shook his head. “Not really, but I have forgotten my real one.” He winked. “Somebody stole it.” Her face crinkled up. How could somebody steal a name? You could not even touch it. “You’d best be off,” he pressed. “The stars will be out soon, and your family will start to miss you.” Her face sobered again. “Do you really have to go? You could come live with us.” For a moment, the strange creature almost looked hurt, as if he might cry, but the softness soon came back. “Nae. Homes are for little girls like you.” He poked her belly. “I am a wild thing, like the deer. The woods are my home.” “Can I see you again?” she asked as he rose to his feet. “Maybe,” he considered. “But do not come looking for me. You will never find me that way.” “But—“ Her mother’s voice came on the wind, and she turned her head to see the woman at the bottom of the fields near the stream. When she turned back, the fae was gone—nothing there beside her but a few crushed stalks. Her face saddened, but she turned towards home. “Goodbye, Morad,” she called anyway, waving her hand at the pitch dark. A pair of eyes glowed from the bushes, and the shadows brightly answered, “Goodbye, girl.”

hi! this is my first one, sorry if it makes no sense, but Fae gave me an idea for Cub. Vexes are a rare type of Fae. they are also labeled as 'Metal Fae", being one of the few, if not the only species of Fae that can handle any and all metal and are often born with some sort of metal that is most important and after for an early gift, receive a jewelry piece made out of said metal (ie. Golden earring, Copper necklace, etc). another thing that makes Vexes so unique is you can 'tame' them, this is a very hard feat to complete. there are 2 ways to tame a Vex, the first and more common being to take their metal piece, and they are forever in debt and loyal to you until you or they die, or until they get their jewelry piece back. the other way is to prove your loyalty to them and in turn, they will gift you a matching jewelry piece to theirs, this type of taming can never be undone and forever bonds the player and the Vex.

Cub, being an Iron vex makes it harder for him to trust others as his unique gift with Iron had people constantly trying to tame him, or using him for their own gain.

so when Cub finally felt comfortable enough in the Hermit polycule, he gifted every member an iron earring, matching the one he has. it was a sweet gesture and all the hermits felt very touched when they received them, knowing it was an act of true and ever-lasting trust.

but when the resident Vex's earring was suddenly missing, along with the Vex, himself. the hermits made the message clear no one else could mess with their vex.

sorry again if this makes no sense. thank you!

The hermits have never liked the terminology of 'taming'. The first method is controlling someone, the second is gaining their trust. They never expected Cub to gift them something, and they're honoured he trusts them that much.

So they are very angry when he goes missing. And angry hermits are not people to be messed with.

It's safe to say Cub is back with them within twenty-four hours. The first thing Scar does is give Cub back his earring - having slipped it whilst the thief was distracted by the other hermits. Cub looks shocked at such a simple gesture, and Scar's heart breaks right there and then.

They're going to make sure Cub knows they'll come after him, no matter what. The bond goes both ways, like it should.

🏷️🎁🤲👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💘

thank you Kraken! 🖤 I'm just going to keep answering these for Orion, I'm sure everyone's sick of hearing about him by now but Im not ready to talk in-depth about my two newer characters yet ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

🏷️: What is their full name? Do any of their names have any special meaning? How did you come up with them?

haha his full, complete, real name is just Orion. he tacked on Murphy as a surname to blend in better with humans, but it has no significance tbh

it’s just a name Ive always really really liked the shape & sound of, I briefly thought about renaming myself Orion before I picked Skylar so it was still fresh in my mind when I was making him

🎁: If they needed to give a friend a gift, how would they go about choosing one? Would they buy it, make it, or do something else? Would others consider them good at gift-giving?

ooh Orion would probably be great at gift-giving, but she does it very rarely. I think fae consider giving gifts uncouth at best* so it's not her first inclination, but yeah if she decided to do it she'd look for something she knows would be meaningful/relevant to their interests and personalize it in some way on top of that. you better believe if she's going to do something it's going to be over the top

*fae are all about social contracts and interpersonal debts, so giving a gift without expecting something in return is like walking up to someone and saying, "I do not want to be friends with you." fortunately Orion has assimilated into human society well enough to know that they fucking love it when you do that

🤲: Do they have any deep desires that they don't talk about and/or don't even realize they have? Do these desires conflict with their main goal at all?

ohohoho okay so, Orion has wanted to become human for ~20 years because of the death of her human lover. she has deliberately gotten herself stuck and refuses to let herself grieve + move forward

but she's just about reached a breaking point. you can't dwell in grief and loss forever, eventually something has to give. so deep down, part of her wants to just let it go and move on, but she's terrified of doing so because she doesn't know what else to do with herself

she's also desperate for intimacy and love/acceptance, but she can't bear the thought of another loss, so she either pushes people away or holds them so tightly they get sick of it and leave on their own. these are not feelings I can relate to or have drawn from any experiences btw

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦: What is their family like? Are there any family members that are particularly influential and/or important to them (whether in a positive or negative sense)?

I am so proud of what I've come up with for Orion's family! so he has 3 parents - Aries, Fornax, and Lacerta. yes their family members must always be named after constellations. he probably has a couple grandparents floating around, but he's never met them, and no siblings. his parents were his whole world growing up. I could write essays about each of them, suffice to say they are very loving but Aries and Fornax just can't understand why she's all hung up on non-fae people, Lacerta is more supportive but also has a more hands-off approach to parenting

💘: Do they have a "canon" romantic partner? If so, who is it and what is their relationship like? If not, what kind of person would be the optimal romantic partner for them (the most interesting narratively, not necessarily the healthiest/what they think their preferences are)?

in writing, no, and as much as I want to write a subplot for that, I feel weird about doing so BECAUSE

in game, there's this one motherfucking NPC who was introduced in I think our 3rd session. I adore him but I'm worried I as a player have missed my chance lol. if Orion doesn't get to be obsessively codependent with this depressed demonic senior citizen then what's the point!!

“I didn’t expect you back so soon, my love,”

“I expected it to take longer as well, but-” “-he gave me his name. ”

They way phil and Kristin are speaking implies that they had another plan,can you tell us what the plan was? Or is it going to be alluded to in the five chapter? -🥔🐢

The plan is pretty simple. Basically, from the gifts, and the thanks, and the food Techno ate, Phil was more within his right to take Techno.

Phil gave Techno gifts, and Techno said "thank you" and took them. This means Techno OWES Philza something. He is in Phil's debt. Philza did him a favor and now Techno owes him in return. And Philza's price was that he had to be sonboy.

The food was a gift, but it was also a bit of a shackle. Techno is never going to be satisfied eating nonmagic food. It's another incentive for him to stay close to someone who will provide him food. So, while it isn't the same magically binding deal as the gifts, its another thing making it harder for him to leave Phil's side.

But neither of those things are as binding as a Name.

Theoretically, Techno would be able to pay Philza back for his gifts and the debt owed. Incredibly difficult, and Philza would go out of his way to make sure it never happened. But technically possible for Techno to pay Philza back for the gifts and favors and to be out of his debt.

Techno could also find another way to procure fae food. Literally, Schlatt joked about giving him food. It's not like Philza is the only fae with food. So, theoretically, he could find somewhere besides Phil to get food.

So, while the chances are abysmally low, just the food and gifts and thanks might not bind Techno to him forever. But it is more than enough excuse for Philza to sneak into Techno's room while he slept and spirit him away. It gave him that much right. So that was Phil's plan.

However, Techno gave him his Name. That's not something Techno would ever escape. A Name is who you are, 100% completely. Philza OWNS Technoblade now. He could tell him to hop on one foot without stopping, and Techno wouldn't stop until he was dead. He could tell Technoblade to sleep for a year and Technoblade wouldn't even stir. He could tell Technoblade to forget everything he had ever known, and all of those memories would be instantly gone. It's absolute control. And its not a control he can take back. Having Techno's name means that no matter what else happens, Techno belongs to Philza and Kristin. It's final. He cannot weasel out of that. He is not going anywhere that they say he cannot go.

Philza was not expecting to get that sort of control over Techno this early. He was just going to use the small deals that Techno had made with him to keep him close and eventually convince Techno to tell him his name. Philza was expecting to wait YEARS to get that tidbit.

And then Techno just gave it to him.

It made everythinf much easier for Philza.

Don’t know all that much about mermaids, but there is a treasure trove of fae rules that are extremely fun to play. Here’s a few!

1: They cannot lie or be lied to.

They are physically unable to lie and instead twist their words to trick non fae, they can also tell when someone is lying to them.

2: Names hold power

They have a lot of mental sway over you if they know your real name, for example all they would have to do to get you to sleep is say your name and tell you to go to bed and you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. The opposite is true as well, and you hold that same sway if you know their name. In tales it’s advised to tell them your nickname. A fae and normal person knowing each other’s names I think cancels it out, or is a sign of immense trust?

3: Never eat the food of nor dance with the fae

Eating the food of the fae will make you crave only their dishes, anything else you eat will practically taste like sand, and usually the person dies because fae food is all they want.

Dancing is ill advised as well. You basically get stuck doing it and will eventually die of exhaustion in a daze. Idk know if there is a way to combat either of these things but they exist.

4: Fae burn from iron

That’s it, they burn from iron. It’s sorta their main weakness. I believe it also makes power/powers less significant as well but I’m not sure.

5: Don’t thank the fae

They don’t see thank you’s as we do, it isn’t merely manners to them. Saying thanks to the fae is basically saying you owe them, and fae always expect payment and punishments will be carried out when their debts aren’t paid. They feel pretty terrible when they can’t pay their own debts but I don’t think it happens often?

6: Never make a promise to the fae

This is similar to the whole debt thing. If you break a promise to the fae, game over. They can basically do whatever they wish: take your first born son, place an awful curse on you, etc etc. I don’t know if it is the same flipped around though, it may be.

Btw wayward I can’t go to your blog because it says 18+ and I am a minor. This is the most I can do to interact with you while respecting those rules. I don’t know if reading the reblogs here is against those rules, pretty new to tumblr and what is expected, if it is please tell me and I’ll stop.

Okay but snatching these for future reference.

And I know we're talking about Wayward's fic but now I'm just thinking of Player trying to dodge fairy rules with Hyrule unsure if they apply to him.

@scribedhorror sent from DARKER THRILLING PROMPTS

[ RESCUE ] for one muse to just narrowly get saved by the other. 

Infatuated by what mortals call a smoothie and all the colours and flavours that come with it, Cardan leans forward in his chair, traps the plastic straw between his lips, and sucks as he is instructed to drink the funky-looking beverage. His mouth is flooded with a mixture of tastes that he never thought can mingle together ― banana and strawberry and berries ― and his eyes grow wide in delight as he insists that he must have a taste of Bill's as well. Only, he never gets the chance, for before he can take a sip he's roughly shoved out of his chair and down on the ground, beneath the funky-coloured table. With his head having collided with both the edge of the stool and the hard floor on his way down, it takes a while for his black and gold eyes to open and focus properly, although one could argue that the pain in his head is no match for the pain that is throbbing across his shoulder and part of his forearm ― and with surprising clarity, he knows that whatever injured it wasn't meant to simply graze him in the shoulder but rather go through his throat.

He's pretty sure that whoever was behind this murder attempt knew exactly what he was doing and who he was aiming at, for Cardan knows the sting of the weapon, recognises the all too familiar sensation that burns across his shoulder, and numbs his arm; Iron. Someone is hunting Faes, or to be more accurate, a Fae ― him; and he has a pretty good idea as to who might be behind it.

As a hand comes to clunch his shoulder, now bleeding through his humane, white hoodie, the Prince glances to his side, to the person who ought to have saved him, and is genuinely surprised to find none other than Bill. He had saved him ? He always thought of humans to be fragile and weak ( the mortal girl in Elfhame excluded ) and one could argue that Bill hardly knew him, a Fae he thinks kidnaps humans, well enough to save him from a fatal blow; in fact, Cardan assumed that the other was just tolerating him, looking forward to the moment that he would pack his things and move back to Elfhame. Hence, the reveal of Bill being his savior is bewildering, to say the least, and such is evidently shown in his sharp features, with the rise of his dark brows and the widening of his eyes. He wants to ask why he even bothered to save him but now is no time for such questions.

❛ I appreciate that. ❜ He breathes, for the Folk barely thank each other as a thank you is considered a debt to be paid back. Although, Cardan can only assume he's already in his debt.

😊

This might get a bit long.

First the basics, fair folk have many names and appear in many cultures. Some of these names include: fae, fay, faery, faeyry, and fairie. essentially fa- and then as many vowels as you want.

Also contrary to how popular current media (read: mainly Disney) portrays fairies, they are actually quite mischievous and can even be outright cruel sometimes. Most fair folk are vengeful, so watch out.

Also in some tales, fair folk cannot lie. Instead they deal in half truths and loopholes.

They tend to have complex rules and like to keep humans as slaves/pets sometimes. So some base things are, never say thank you for sorry, that is admitting a debt owed, don't eat fae food, you will get trapped, and don't offend a fairy, they hold grudges for centuries. So if you want people you like to be safe, I'd recommend being courteous.

Also in some myths saying their true name gives you power over them. That being said, giving them your name can make it so that isn't your name any longer. Which for trans people I guess is a plus as they can make their deadname no longer theirs.

And I think that's the basics!

that sounds super cool! I've heard about the "fairies can just straight up steal ur name" bit but I don't think I actually knew most of the rest of this. Ty for enlightening me and making me think fair folk are super cool beloved <3/p

Healing Ties - Chapter 4

*Warning Adult Content*

Yore walked off in the direction of the border until he was well out of sight, then stripped out of his clothes, shifted and looped back around.

He knew the group that guarded this section of the border.

They would help him.

Yore had never visited Fyh's settlement before but his nose showed him the way.

He could see a large fire through the trees and could hear the sounds of laughter.

He sprinted in that direction and then slowed down as he got closer so that he wouldn't startle anyone.

A group of around a dozen satyrs were gathered around a massive bonfire.

They had the heads and torsos of humans and the legs and horns of goats.

They were all men.

Generally speaking, those who had been granted magic by the fae could only reproduce within their own kind but satyrs were an exception to this.

Women of all kinds were advised not to have sex with them.

Several of the satyrs were eating and drinking.

One of them was sitting against a tree, whittling something.

Another was fucking what appeared to be some sort of forest troll.

He was small, at least as far as trolls went, fat and had hair like moss.

Yore had never seen anything quite like it before but the troll seemed to be enjoying what was happening so he wouldn't question it.

"It's a fuckin' wolf," the satyr who was copulating with the troll shouted but he didn't stop what he was doing.

Yore commenced the painful process of shifting back into his human form.

He should have done it before making himself known.

He hadn't minded doing it in front of others before the incident when it used to be a fluid and effortless process but now it felt more vulnerable, more personal.

"No, it's a fuckin' werewolf," Fyh declared from where he sat, perched in a low tree branch. "What brings you our way, Yore?"

"I found a young mage within your territory. He's hurt."

Fyh frowned.

"Eh? Well, he's not ours."

"A Companion. Hair like gold. You don't know anything about him or how he ended up here?"

"Can't say I do but we'll take him off your hands if you like."

He tilted his head in the direction of the troll.

"We like guests."

Some of the others laughed.

There was nothing malicious about it but Yore got the feeling the mage wouldn't have appreciated this crowd.

"No. Mages need to be around humans or other mages to keep themselves healthy. I need to get him back to the others as soon as possible."

"Ah, right," Fyh said.

"Well, you can bring him on over here and we can give you food and bed for the night, have someone check him over. We'd love to have you. You ever fuck in wolf form?"

Yore decided to ignore that last part.

"I'm worried he might have been planted within the border as a spy. Until I know any tracking chips and anything else that might have been planted on him have been disabled, I don't want him to see or hear anything I wouldn't be comfortable with an enemy human knowing about."

"You're a boring man, Yore," Fyh told him. "All right, then, how can we help you? What do you need?"

"Supplies," Yore said. "I don't have anything with me to trade for them but you can consider it a pack debt and we'll make good on it at the next meeting of the council."

Fyh laughed.

"You've got all you need to pay me right here with you."

Yore held his gaze.

"I'd rather not, thank you."

"It wouldn't take long, I promise you that." Fyh waved a hand before Yore could object again. "Nah, you don't want to. That's fine. What supplies do you need?"

"Food and water, clean bandages and if you have any kind of sleeping mats or blankets that are suitable for travel, that would be great."

Fyh snapped his fingers at one of the other satyrs and that satyr immediately stood and scampered off.

"He'll get the stuff for you. And don't worry about any debts. He's in our territory so this is our problem really and we don't know any mages or humans so dealing with it without you woulda been a pain. Guess we coulda just shoved him back over the border for the humans to deal with, but fuck those bastards."

"Not all humans are bad, you know. I know some good ones."

"Yeah?" Fyh asked.

He didn't sound convinced.

"Come visit us some time and I'll introduce you to a man named Hamish. He'd appreciate your style of fun."

"Huh, well, maybe. A human's gotta be about the most boring thing to fuck I can think of but I've never done it before and I like to try everything."

"You'll love him. Trust me."

"If you say so," Fyh said. "How's that whole revolution thing going, by the way? You're all tangled up in that, aren't you?"

"Slow and steady so far but it'll hit a boiling point eventually. We can all feel it coming. We're not as hidden as we used to be and we've freed enough slaves that we're starting to be seen as a genuine threat. The day's going to come when they're more afraid of letting us keep doing what we're doing than they are of marching across the border."

"A lot of people are going to be angry about you driving them to that."

"Are you?"

Fyh let out a bark of laughter.

"Fuck no. That's a mistake humans have to make at least once a generation to remind them why they don't do it. Wonder how long they'd even last over here if nobody went to fight them before they pissed off a wyvern or wandered into the swamps. Fuckers should be grateful we let them have their safe little area to live in."

"It depends how big of an army they can gather, I guess. I've seen inside their military camps, fought alongside them against vampires. You're right that they don't know much about what's on this side of the border but I think they're more capable than you might assume."

"Yeah, well, they can face my bow if they decide to come anywhere near my territory. We'll keep an eye out for anyone who comes looking for that slave of yours, too. They cross that border, they die."

Fyh sounded like he was almost hoping they'd give him the chance.

Yore wasn't nearly as bloodthirsty.

Perhaps having human friends had softened him to them but he didn't think he'd ever been all that keen on killing.

It was sometimes necessary but he found no satisfaction in it.

The satyr who Fyh had sent off scampered back, a surprisingly large backpack and two bedrolls in his arms.

"Got that stuff for you."

Yore opened up the bag and took a quick look inside.

He could see bandages and something wrapped in cloth that smelled like smoked venison on top, so he assumed his instructions had been followed.

"Thank you," Yore said as he shouldered the bag. "And Fyh, I know you said that I don't owe you anything but I appreciate this and I will remember it."

Fyh waved a dismissive hand.

"It's no problem but maybe you'll pay us a visit when you have a bit more time and you'll take me up on my offer?"

"Hmm," Yore said as he turned to leave.

That was unlikely but not for the reasons Fyh might think.

the well road incident

So it was like 2:50 in the morning and Adam and I were bored cause we had already done a ton of crap and didn’t have a whole lot left to do. So we started texting anyone that would be up and down for some bullshit. So Isabel was up (Nate’s Ex lol) and we snuck her out (2nd child that I stole from their home). Anyway we hung around for a bit, and then Adam wanted to go to this pond near his house, so we found this road that backs up to it, and we went down it to try and see it, well Adam got out of the car and closed the door and Isabel said “drive away” so I did, like the good friend that I am. So I took off going like 70 down this road and when I hit 51 I turned around and went back to get him and be like “hah prankt”. But we didn’t see him at all, in fact we drove all the way down to the very end of the road (it’s a dead end) and didn’t see him, so we assumed that he was hiding in the woods. When we drove back we saw him walking in the middle of the road and I thought that was odd but whatever. Anyway he got in the car and we started talking and he asked how we were able to loop back around and get behind him, and we were like “we didn’t we left and came back” the same way up. So we defended ourselves and he was getting more and more scared. Apparently he was walking in the middle of the road the whole time and just all of the sudden saw our headlights behind him. He was freaking tf out, like frrr, I’ve never seen him so scared. I dropped him off at like 4:50 at his house and he had Isabel’s phone in his pocket so we called him and asked him to walk it up the road so we didn’t have to pull down and wake his parents, he refused to walk up that road alone because he was so scared and made Isabel walk up on his porch.

Oh also don’t tell anyone about this, the more I think about it, the more I think that it might be some kind of mental lapse that can stem from epilepsy (which he has a family history of). People might look at him weird and I don’t want that. Tbh I hope it was something demonic and not his mind. -Wesley

Firstly, be aware that names have power, so when connecting with them, give yourself a nickname to use, or don't say any name.

Second, if a faerie provides you with information, do not thank them. While you may appreciate it, this is an admission to a debt owed.

Thirdly, do not accept anything that is edible from the land of fairies because consuming anything from the land of the Fae might result in locking yourself out of the land of mortals. Just politely decline.

Fourthly, most Fae are very old so politeness and regards to being courteous is rather crucial. Since they can hold grudges for a very long time, exercise caution when speaking to them or refusing something.

Finally, when accepting gifts, be knowledgeable that some faerie gifts could come with unforeseen side effects. If you are concerned, either accept them destroy it, or cleanse with salt water.

Well Road Personal Account October 31, 2018

I'm writing this because I can't sleep and am mildy terrified. I know it's most likely my mind playing tricks on me but I think I just saw something move outside ofy bedroom window for the first time in years, and after the events of tonight, it wouldn't be surprising. It's Halloween, so naturally Me, Wesley, and our pal Denver decided to take Adam back to Well Road not once, but twice, against his will and better judgement. The first time we went and drove down, Wes and Adam dropped me and Denver off to walk a short stretch of the road alone. It wasn't completely dark yet but it was creepy as Hell. Unfortunately nothing actually happened. I think it was bc two people we're out there instead of just one. Fast forward a couple of hours and we're killing time so we decided to go back again. Adam wasn't excited, but I was. This time they left me alone to walk down the street for like 5 minutes. I saw nothing but I kept thinking I heard something walking behind me. I'm not gonna write off the fact that my imagination was running wild, but I still think something was following me. Every time I turned around I saw nothing. They came back to pick me up, and them we pulled over bc Adam needed to get out of the car for something. It took maybe 30 seconds before he ran back to the car beating on the window. At first we thought he was trying to scare us but he got in the car and yelled at Wesley to drive away. I've never heard anyone sound so scared before in my entire life. He was terrified. It took us 5 minutes to get him to tell us what happened. He had seen a man in a black T-shirt standing in the woods, not moving. In his rushed panic, Adam dropped his deaderant out of his pocket (why he had it with him to begin With is another mystery) so we turned around d and Wes said he'd get out of the car to get it. He did and when he got back in the car he confirmed that he heard something or someone walking in the woods. It could very well just ve a man but in light of other things that have happened on that road, I dont think it was. I don't know what it was but everyone was sufficiently freaked out.

Okay, I'm back with my "explaining the human realm to the non-humans" bullshit.

So, mythological creatures and cryptids.

For example on the USA there is the skinwalker, wendigo, no-deer and etc. They all attack or hunt humans.

In the celtic culture there is the fae, and they're quite dangerous to involve yourself with cuz "there are a lot of rules to deal with the fae and usually you only found out about them when you break one"

Or the Asian and Latin American superstitions about supernatural beings. (I've found out that a lot of theirs superstitions are very similar)

Like in south east asia (from what I know) there is a superstition that if you smell jasmine without a plausible explanation is probably "something (dangerous) else".

Or in Latin America where if you hear a whistle you never whistle back (even less at night) cuz is probably something trying to become stronger by being recognized or something trying to locate a prey.

And like, a lot of the creatures in the human mythology didn't came from the Devildom nor the Celestial Realm, they're natives from the human realm itself.

Or like "if you hear someone else's voice in your house you don't answer cuz it can be intruders or something else. Either way you're screwed"

Or when the elderly say that you shouldn't look at the woods/mountains/florest at night, even if you're inside your home.

And a lot more of superstitions.

So here is the answer for the "what is actively hunting humans that kept their survival instinct until today?" question :)

—☕

I actually know all of these! Except the ‘no-deer’

I have been called a Fae by SO MANY of my friends, abs Fae are interesting, they have their own society and rules to follow, also metal melts my skin and it does the same to actual faes hvhxg

Tho of course moth mythology is just misunderstood/mist old creatures that exist today or flat out lies, which sucks, I wanna date Mothmam…

Faes things I’ve heard:

“You better count the fingers of the person you talk to, any less than 8 and ye be talking to a Fae.” (Quote from some history thing my sibling shared with me)

They are human looking if they want and the only hint you get to them not being human is there is something off about them. (Looks/voice/behavior, etc)

Fae can never lie, they just know how to twist their words to confuse people.

Never accept a gift from one, or say ‘thank you’ as anything like that puts you in ‘debt’ to a Fae, if thanking them just say you appreciate what they did

They are mischievous and are feared bc they can be both good and bad but you never know until it’s too late

NEVER be rude/lie to a Fae, as that essentially makes you their primary target.

For skinwalkers, I actually know a lot about them too! They are technically not cryptids, just witches/wizards!

They can only take forks of animals they have the skin of, hence the name

They don’t always look like the animal, often being bigger and being able to stand upright

They can’t talk in the animal forms, they can only make sounds that the animal can

They aren’t inherently aggressive, but they are territorial and will give a warning before they attack

They can mimic pets. Though they’d need the animals skin

They can mimic voices.

For the Wend!go, I’m hesitant talking about it because it’s not a cryptid, it’s an evil spirit that posses people and is deeply rooted in Native American culture, it’s actually insulting to say the name allowed as you are basically inviting the greed filled spirit to come harm you and everyone around you. I’ve heard mixed things on it, lots of it boils down to, ‘don’t talk about it, even if you follow the culture’ I’ve been told it’s offensive to just use it like it’s a wild animal and often times people misrepresent what it is. It’s a spirit that destroys a person, they are no longer a person once it has them, there’s a legitimate illness that is named after it called “Wend!go psychosis”

I also know the mythos of the ‘mimic’ (not actual name) it’s a creature that can mimic voices of people, often luring people by pretending to be a loved one or a hurt person so their victim lets their guard down and they can kill them.

There’s also a creature like a banshee that screams, however the closer you get to it, the quieter it is, it does this to make you think you’re getting away from it.

There’s also a creature with backwards feet so if you ever try to follow the steps, you’ll be tricked into going the wrong way.

Everone knows Bigfoot, nessy, chupacabra, the greys, etc.

I’m actually HUGELY into mythology stuff and cryptids so I know a lot about them!!

Though I imagine the obey me cast would just be like ‘what the fuck is wrong with the human realm?? You’re so weak but you have so many dangerous creatures that you CAN’T even prove the existence of but they’ve noticeably killed people?? How are you just ok with this??”

Thoughts on Shifting Shadows

One of the things I’ll be shamelessly abusing this Tumblr for is sharing thoughts about the books I’ve read. And since today I finished Shifting Shadows...

Shifting Shadows is an anthology set in the Mercy Thompson world, and as far as I’m concerned it’s the very best urban fantasy books out there. Here’s why:

1. The books are really well written and then also well edited. There are no annoying inconsistencies within or between books. It’s just solid. And the author consistently delivers.

2. Mercy is a really powerful female protagonist, a great role model. In addition, she and her partner have a relationship that we can only be envious of. They support each other. None of the bullshit portrayed in Twilight. Mercy is her own knight in shining armor, thank you very much. Go Mercy!

3. The author, Patricia Briggs, doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. So yeah, that’s a trigger warning for those who need one. Personally, I think it makes for books that are both powerful and credible. Mercy’s world is harsh, but never needlessly so.

Okay, so now that you know why this is your must-read urban fantasy, let’s move on to this anthology. Honestly, I can’t believe I had no idea it existed until a few weeks ago someone mentioned it on my feed. I was pretty sure I’d read everything there was to read. And never was being mistaken sweeter!

All of the stories in this book are part of the Mercyverse, although not all characters are familiar. Overall, I loved most of the stories, with a few small exceptions.. Unfortunately, the very first story was the one I liked least. Silver is an origin story of Samuel and Bran, and - spoiler alert if you haven’t read #5, Silver Borne - it’s also (or I should say mainly) about Samuel and Ariana. My main issue with this story is that it’s short fragments put together, with very little detail to each particular one. As a result, I didn’t really buy either the love story or the tragedy. I wish I could have loved this one better, but oh well...

Fairy Gifts was a story about a Mercyverse vampire and a fae girl... about debt and about freedom. And about being able to hear the things that aren’t told explicitly. It’s unexpected and I loved the setting! I have to say that it’s been ages since I’ve read the other Mercy books, so I actually thought I remembered Thomas and Maggie from one of the installments, but I read in some other review that they are new characters. So, my mistake. I’d love to read more about them at some point though! [Update] Turns out I was right - Thomas is actually a character in Frost Burned.

Gray was another vampire story, this time one with a character I definitely wasn’t familiar with. See... when you suddenly find yourself undead, you may do things you’ll regret for the rest of your.. existence. And sometimes that means going back to where it all started... even though not everyone may welcome your presence. Tragic love. Hard to know whether to pity or cheer for the protagonist.

Seeing Eye. Oh, this was a true treat! This is the beginning of Moira and Tom, whom you know if you’ve read the Alpha & Omega spin-off. Who says white witches are vulnerable? I guess sometimes it’s the cops that need rescuing! I loved reading more about this couple and will gladly do so again in the future.

Alpha and Omega is in fact the very first book of the corresponding spin-off. It may be a short story, but it’s imperative to understanding the rest of the books. That’s why this was actually the one story I’ve already read before. This one needs to come with all sorts of trigger warnings. But you’ll meet Charles and you’ll learn about the magic of omega wolves!

The Star of David plot wise isn’t the most exciting story in the book, but I really liked seeing some more of David, whom we briefly meet in Moon Called. Sometimes, lone warriors get a second chance. Short and sweet.

Roses in Winter is a story about Asil (an important character in Alpha & Omega - the spin-off, not the short story) and Kara, the youngest wolf to survive the first few changes. In one of the Mercy books, her father contacts Mercy for help and she sends him and Kara on to Bran, the werewolf lead... but that doesn’t mean Kara is safe. After all, werewolf laws can be harsh. You’ll get to see a softer side of Asil and also a glimpse of Sage and Leah.

In Red, with Pearls is a story about Warren and his mate, Kyle. It’s a short mystery story, though I have to say that as far as mysteries go - this one is pretty predictable. Even so, I loved Warren, his dynamic with Kyle, and frankly his dynamic with everyone else, too.

Redemption may just be my favorite in this anthology. It’s a story about Ben. Yeah, the Ben who can’t say two lines without swearing. Or... can he? And what’s the real reason why he’s so grumpy with his secretary? We get a bit of a peek in Ben’s traumatic past, and here too: many trigger warnings! With that said, it’s a story about choices and about different types of dominance. If you love Ben as much as I do, you’ll love it!

Hollow is the one story in the book that’s actually about... Mercy. Mercy, Zach, two frightened people, and a haunted house. Another mystery and one I really enjoyed. But oh man... Being Adam must really, really suck.

Finally, there are two outtakes - one from Silver Borne and one from Night Broken. They are just too short to really have an opinion on. I have to say again I’m not really believing the Samuel - Ariana chemistry, but oh well - as long as they’re happy.

Overall, this anthology is a must-read if you love the Mercyverse as much as I do. And who knows, you might love different stories than I did. Let me know!

So I was listening to Karliene's Dark Ones which gives me major Unseelie/Wicked Fae vibes. Which inspired the idea of a trickster, maybe a little cruel, fae!mc. Demons are so much more study then the humans they normally would bother. Who are they to deny a summon if someone so greatly desires their presence?

Maybe Diavolo and Lucifer don't realize they've summoned a fae. It's not like they ever actually ask if Fae!MC is a human. This whole 'demon' school should be rather entertaining for a little while at least. There's so much trouble a fae!mc could get into and cause. Much like the demons maybe fae!mc is able to make pacts - however they don't quite function the same. It's more like a boon, or a gift - that you can call upon the fae to aide you, if they feel like it. Fae do always try to repay a debt owed.

Belphie would stop trying to kill fae!mc once he realized they aren't even human to begin with. This doesn't mean fae!mc has forgotten about his attempts. They most certainly are going to get him back. Fae are incredibly petty and spiteful and they never forget.

The other way to go with this is an almost reverse!isekai with the fae!mc originally being from twisted wonderland and is summoned into a world that is def. not home. Crow Fae!MC who is so very good at hoisting their responsibilities onto someone else. The Courts of the Valley of Thorns were getting so dreadfully boring and this is a whole new place to explore.

Diavolo and RAD get a literal exchange student. Belphie trying to get them to release him from the attic but they don't actually fall for it. At least at first. It'd be hilarious if they refuse to help him until he offers something worthwhile. Can you imagine him getting desperate to be freed because his lies and cunning aren't fooling the fae? MC considers requiring him to sing a duet with them. Once Upon A Dream would be so ironic.

If Lucifer thought he had a headache now he's never dealt with the trouble a bored fae can cause.

I just really like the idea of a raven/crow themed Bird!Fae messing with demons. Though Mammon and his ravens/crows might be a little more successful at courting a fae over his brothers. No fae folk was ever won over easily. So demon courting rituals or not fae!mc is going to make them work for it.

But also you should try Karliene's Dark Ones it's a lovely song.

Just had a listen!Thanks for the rec, Anon! It's a gorgeous song.

I haven't gotten super far with TWST just yet, so I can't say I know much about their Fae... but I do have an affection for stories about the fair folk/the Unseelie.

I wonder how long they'll be able to hide for? They may look alike (unless the Fae reveals themselves) but humans and Fae have very different cultures and Fae follow their own set of rules. Though perhaps MC only appears as an odd, if overly honest and honourable, human. They always keep their word and Diavolo can never sense them lying - though they will call up a favour if needed. I imagine Mammon learns that the hard way...

But the pacts are interesting. Maybe they make them like normal, but it's a bit more two-directional than they're used to. Asmo is the only one who can really tell the difference, but he's only ever had a pact with Solomon, so maybe it just varies human to human? You could give a unique boon for each of them, or perhaps a general one based on you - how annoyed would Mammon be if your boon was like 'kinship with crows' though. He already had that and now his brothers can do it too?????

Belphie living in fear of the day MC decides to get their revenge for his murder attempt. He tries to apologise and placate them with little gifts, is willing to cut very one-sided deals, anything to avoid their ire. Belphie, aside from maybe Satan, is probably most familiar with human legends regarding the Fae. He knew he fucked up the moment he realised what MC was.

Mammon who has hyped up and encouraged hundreds of his crows to make a move on their crow crushes over the years suddenly asking their advice on how to court someone. The crows give him so many shiny lil trinkets to give you because they want their master to get a partner finally.

Also, a crow Fae mc having an interesting relationship with the concept of 'property'. What do you mean this necklace belongs to someone? It's literally just lying around, in a castle? No one's wearing it? It's not in an iron vault? Finders keepers!

The Faery Etiquette

1)Not giving fae your name. Even if you think that this fae can be trusted or it's not a fae that's known to want to hurt people, it's never a good idea to give a faerie your full name. They could give your name to someone else, there could be someone else listening, they could not be as nice as you thing, or they could be perfectly nice and do something they think is good for you but you view as harmful. As for why names are important, names- especially full names- are actually a pretty intimate detail. Think about it, when humans want to dedicate themselves to something, they sign their name on it. Not only can fae think you're agreeing to something by giving them your name or do something with your name, but they can also feel they're indebted to you in some cases. You don't want a fae owing you or trying to make good on a debt. You're better off giving them a nickname or an alias, preferably one you actually use, but don't use that often, and/or saying "Call me BLANK" instead of "my name's" or "I'm". That way you aren't lying, but it doesn't have the same sense of identity that your actual name has and there are less tricks to be played by any fae who know that name. For example let's say your name is Alexander, but you usually go by Alex. You run into a faerie in the woods and they ask you your name. Not telling them would be rude and we know what happens when you're rude to fae. Instead you should say they can call you "Al" or "Xander" or a computer handle or nickname that people don't call you out loud but is technically your name or that you do go by just not out loud.

2)The "thank you" one is not on it's own a good rule and is kind of dangerous on it's own, but it has a point. "Thank you" in a way is a suggestion of debt, and there is almost never a good time to say it to a faerie. That not to say you shouldn't give thanks to or show appreciation to a fae, but the specific words "Thank you" can be dangerous and even offensive when said to fae, and it's hard to explain. There's a certain intimacy and gravity to it. The only situation I've come across where it was comfortably excusable is when it's a protective fae usually living on the person's land. "Thanks", "Thanks so much", "you have my thanks", "That was very nice/generous/sweet of you" are safer alternatives, but still should not be said to excess. Faeries don't do things to be thanked, they do things because they want to or they feel it's right; and they tend to be very annoyed with how easily humans throw around their thanks. Honestly, if you feel indebted to a faerie folk, the best thing you can do is leave a gift where you met them.

3)You usually shouldn't ask for a faerie's name. Like I said names are quite valuable, and asking for their name can imply a debt or even be offensive. Usually they'll give you their name once they know yours, it often won't be their real name but it works all the same much like the first rule, which is another reason you shouldn't give them your full real name. If certain boundaries have already been breached by the faerie, (as in they're in your house, they've lead you off into the middle of nowhere, they have you more or less cornered, etc) it's acceptable to ask them their name along with other more useful questions in trying to gather their intent. Usually though, you'll get a more honest less violent answer by asking a broader question like "Who are you?".

4)  Don't trust faeries is kind of right and wrong too. Plenty of faerie are perfectly harmless and completely trustworthy and many like to be nice and helpful to humans. But that being said, they are a different being all together and live in a very different context than humans and often don't understand humans at all. They can think they're being nice, or they can think it's okay to not tell the whole truth because they think it's not a big deal, even if it has a severe impact on the person that they hardly even comprehend. The best way to explain it is a conversation my mother and I once had "Hey mom, do you think that the lady of the lake would help someone get back to their realm since she can use lakes as portals?" "Well, she could..." "Could she get them there alive, without them drowning?" "I don't think she'd really care if she got them there alive. She wouldn't understand the problem with not getting there alive. She'd figure them and their souls got back home, so it's fine. Yeah, 'but their dead', but she wouldn't understand what the issue was with them being dead.

5)This one is tough. While you should be very careful going anywhere with anyone, especially a faerie, I'd be hard pressed to say Never go anywhere with one. But you should be very very cautious about following fae. First, of course, do not follow them without permission. Secondly, slow it down, ask "Before we go anywhere, I want to ask you a few questions. Will you answer them?" If they say no, say you won't go then, and walk away if you're able. If they say yes, question them. Where do you want to take me? Will you promise my safety? Will I be hurt? Will I die? Will I be allowed to come back? I need to return here by [specific time/event later]. I can only go if you promise to bring me back by then if I so wish. Do you give your word you'll bring me back if I ask you to? If they give favorable answers, and you chose to go with them, if they made promises to you, YOU MUST TRUST THEM COMPLETELY. If you don't put your trust in them but accept those promises and go with them, they do not have to keep those promises and don't have to keep true to anything they told you. If you have any doubt you shouldn't go with them. If you choose not to go with them you should tell them very firmly "I'm sorry but I’ll not follow “