The Veil of the Faeries

Seelie Court

The Seelie Court are considered the true aristocrats of the Daoine Sidhe. They are compiled of judges, dispensing justice to the other Fae when it is required, and serve as frequent arbitrators of the many Fae quarrels. The Seelie Court is very political, complete with cliques, factions, gossiping, and rivalry. But never the arts of backstabbing, lying, and murder.

Sometimes they are called the ‘Blessed Ones' by the inhabitants of the Human Realm, the Seelie are often depicted as a procession of brilliant light riding on the night air. The Seelie Court, as a group, often use these excursions to find those in need of help. The Seelie are also prone to a great deal of mischief, especially when bored. However, their pranks rarely caused true harm, for the Seelie were really very fond of humans and their strange habits.

The Seelie Court Fae occasionally tolerate the company of beautiful or gifted creatures, preferring those of Fae, Elfin, or Celestial blood. These "court friends" may provide companionship and amusements, but only those with pure lineage may hold positions of importance.

Admittance to the Seelie Court for outsiders is extremely rare, even more so if the outsiders are not of pure Fae blood. Upon entrance to the court, visitors must be prepared with valuable and unusual gifts for the Queen of Light, or they might find themselves lost in an endless hedge maze. Suitable gifts for the Queen include figurines of wondrous power, gems of brightness, and magical jewelry.

The physical appearance of the Seelie Court mirrors nature, to which the fey are intrinsically linked. White ash trees, strong and stately, with their branches intertwining to create a living ceiling, line the throne hall like marble columns. Gossamer streamers of iridescent blues, pinks and purples wind their way through the boughs. Phosphorescent flowers gleam like lanterns midst the treetops. Semi-precious jewels of amethysts, tiger's eyes and topaz decorate flowers that float down the waterways lining the path to the throne. Statues carved of gold and adorned with gems further attest to the wealth and beauty of the current ruler, as each Queen must display more splendor than the previous one or risk the gossip and scorn of her subjects. The throne itself, and the Queen who sits on it, are the focal points of the room. The throne of the Seelie Court is shaped like a large ice dragon, as brilliantly cold and glittery as the Fae nobility.

The Code of the Seelie Court:

• Death Before Dishonor: A member of the Seelie Court are to protect his or her honor to the death. Honor is the single source of glory for the Seelie, the only way to attain recognition. A true Seelie would rather die than live with personal dishonor, and would never bring dishonor to another of the Seelie.

• Love Conquers All: For the Seelie, love is the perfect expression of the soul. It transcends all other things. Though romantic love is considered to be the highest and purest form of love, platonic love is also encouraged.
  

• Beauty Is Life: Beauty is one of the first tenants of the Seelie Court. To belong, a faerie has to be beautiful, and all beauty is to be protected. The Seelie are known to go to war to protect beauty, whether it is a beautiful person, place, or thing.

• Never Forget A Debt: This tenant works in two ways. The Seelie are bound by their code of honor to repay any debt owed as soon as possible. This includes both favors and insults. The Seelie will repay a favor in a timely fashion. At the same time, they will exact vengeance almost immediately.

Unseelie Court

The Unseelie Court or Unblessed Court contains the most malicious, malevolent and evil of the faeries, and a number of monsters of horrible appearance and fearsome abilities as well. They comprise the Slaugh, or The Host, the band of the unsanctified dead who fly above the earth, stealing mortals and take great pleasure in harming humans.

Often called the ‘Unblessed Ones,’ the Unseelie are depicted as a dark cloud riding upon the wind from where their unnerving cackles and howls can be heard. Though not necessarily evil, they are far from kind. These unsavory characters tend towards evil and are often malignant. Legends claim that the Unseelie were fallen Seelie, those who could not live up to the strict standards of chivalry of the shining court. They have no method of reproduction, so they enslave mortals whom they think would never be missed and carry them along to become one of them. The Unseelie Court is almost always out to harm, or at least bedevil and trick, humankind.

Unlike the selective, restrictive Seelie Court, the Unseelie Court welcomes anyone and everything with even a drop of ancestral fFae blood. Fae can and do breed with anything, creating odd, mixed creatures. Most species consider the offspring grotesque monsters. The mutant creatures gravitate towards the Unseelie Court, which welcomes them and gives them an environment where peculiar physiology's and abilities are the norm.

The Unseelie Court is a more hospitable place for non-Fae as well. Court nobles eagerly provide patronage for creatures who are extremely strong, dexterous, clever, beautiful, or talented. Obtaining the sponsorship of a court noble is not without its rewards, nor without its dangers. For instance, a gifted bard whose playing impresses a Fae nobleman might be invited to his castle as a guest. Once there, the bard will be feted and asked to play every night -- and never be permitted to leave.

Though the land mirrors that of the Seelie, beautiful and luring, after a millennia of indiscriminate breeding, the physical appearance of the Unseelie Court itself borders on the macabre. Twisted columns, trees forced into unnatural growth by royal gardeners, are scattered haphazardly through the hall. Curtains of shadows hide blood-soaked alcoves. Drawn back for times of celebration, the gaping crevasses reveal uninvited guests captured for the amusement of the court. Riotous blooms of nightshades and blood warts glow red in the evening, providing a maddening light to the misshapen court. The throne of the Unseelie Court is shaped like a great shadow dragon, a creature of midnight and darkness, like the Queen herself.

The Code of the Unseelie Court:

• Change Is Good: The Unseelie firmly believe that security is an illusion. They consider chaos to be the ruling force in the universe, and accept that they have to adapt and change to survive.

• Glamour Is Free: Glamour is the magick of the Daoine Sidhe. Both the Seelie and Unseelie possess its power. However, the two Courts have differing opinions over its use. The Unseelie believe that to have power and not to use it is near to sin. They use their power for whatever they see fit.

• Honor Is A Lie: The Unseelie place no stock in the ideals of honor. Instead, they pursue their own self-interests vigorously. The Unseelie feel as if truth can only be reached through a devotion to self, not a devotion to others.

• Passion Before Duty: Passion is considered to be the truest state of being. The Unseelie act without thought on pure instinct and passion.