Homebrew Fair Folk Species Details

 

An old race, descended from an ancient lineage of old gods. The Fair folk are a nomadic and elusive race, in their distain of the modern world, they tend to live in hard to access places due to the magical race of horses, the Enbarr, which can ride swiftly across land and sea, and their fondness for climbing amongst the rocky cliffs and tall trees in which they pitch their homes. 

Hard to Spot, Hard to Forget

Due to a combination of their naturalistic, nomadic lifestyle, and their warrior lineage, Fair Folk are strong and lean, with broad shoulders and strong legs. The Fair Folk are well adapted to moving between the bright, cold alpine places, and the dark, warm and humid forests, though many who have lived in one for a long time show their bias. with Folk having light or dark skin in the forrests or atop mountains respectively. They all have short, narrow noses, thick hair the colour of autumn leaves and bright, wide eyes of deep dark green, bright arctic blue, or even the rare and startling orange eyes, only found in Folk from the more remote clans and families. 

Fair Folk often adorn themselves with war paint and tattoos, sometimes for camoflage, sometimes to terrify; always, it is a sight to behold, bold black patterns run along arms and legs, bringing the magic of runes to strengthen and fortify, while the torso and head were decorated with intricate patterns of dark shades of the blues and greens of ink imbued with charms of protection and luck.

A Fall From Grace

As a result of their reclusive nature, and the time passed since the worship of their ancestors ceased. Their reputation has decayed in recent centuries and the Fair Folk are no longer respected as the demigods they are. Nowadays, the clans of the Fair Folk scattered about the wooded and hilly places of the world. Rarely seen by man, often dismissed as myth and legend by those who toil in the big towns and cities, who rarely venture into the wilderness.

Despite their considerable decline, the Fair Folk maintain a rich and complex society that thrives due to its strong written and oral tradition of families who gather to exchange stories and lessons learned from their travels, and to celebrate the many festivals dedicated to the natural cycles of our world.

Structure

The Fair Folk are nomadic, they tend to live in family groups of around 6-10 mature adults (70 years or older) with 10-15 young (below 60, between the ages of 60 and 70, young fair folk must survive alone as part of the process of coming of age). Family groups (~16-25) often travel together as many families share bonds as members of the same clans. There are 3 major clans in Fair Folk society, there have been more, there have been fewer, and there are always a number of smaller clans vying for status through conquest or courtship. The three main clans influence Fair Folk society in that theirs are the only permanent settlements the Fair Folk have. In 3 vast tent cities hidden amongst cliff, cave and canopy, the Fair Folk gather through winters or meet throughout the warmer seasons to mingle, celebrate or host clan business. 

 

Military

There is no Fair Folk standing army as such, with all Fair Folk being well trained and experienced in combat and survival for decades and even centuries, Fair Folk families will defend themselves fiercly, and sometimes serve as raiding parties for their clan Laird. Due to the fluid nature of their society, Fair Clans will raise fyrds in times of particular trouble, leevees of the more skillful and experienced warriors of each family in a clan, which can be called up and gathered anywhere at short notice, owing to the Fair Folk's swuift steeds and outstanding knowledge of the land, gathered through millenia of oral and written tradition. As one might suspect, this tradition of mobility, flexibility, speed and experience, makes the Fair Folk expert guerilla warriors, who prefer to lead large armies off the fields and plains, into forests and up mountains where they can be more easily divided and dispatched. The relationship the Fair Folk have with the race of horses called the Einbarr, has lead them to become excellent cavaliers and will harrass large army encampments with fast and harrowing archery and cavalry charges who have disappeared by the time their victims can respond. 

 

Hidden Realms

The Fair Folk and Elves have a long history, as early settlers in Fair Folk land, the Elves were naturally respectful of nature and lived with a light touch in the Fair Folk's ancestral forrests. As the Fair Folk explored, travelled and became nomadic the remaining permanent settlements in the forest grew together and became the first clan city, it is still there, milennia later, though few outside the ranks of Elf and Fair Folk have ever seen it. there are two more cities akin to the Forest City, One is in the peaks of the mountains, where the clansmen are tall, dark and often trade the minerals they find up there with the Dwarves. The third city of the Fair Folk is off in the coastal forests far from their ancestral home, where they ride on the beaches and climb among mangrove roots and branches alike.  

Nature and Culture

While formiddable combatants, the Fair Folk earned their common name through a reputation of respectful impartiality to the cultures through which they travelled. They often became guardians of the law and presided over conflicts between people, towns and even entire nations and empires, such was the reverence for the children of Nemed, the primordial god believed to have created the land and sea. In the centuries since the followers of Nemed were displaced and assimilated by various generations of travellers and settlers, the Fair Folk have become jaded and distainful of many of the communities which reside upon these ancient lands.

One particularly deep rooted animosity held by the Fair Folk, is towards Dragons and all Draconid kin. Dragons, symbols of fire, destruction and dominating power, represent the very forces Nemed sought to balance with the creation of the Fair Folk, who lived to protect the wild places and prevent, or swiftly end conflicts of men. Dragons also posed a very literal threat when, in retaliation for the killing of another dragon by a Fair Folk warrior, razed the Grove of the Green Knight. While peace was eventually brokered, it took a long time and the Fair Folk harbour a deep mistrust of creatures so naturally powerful and destructive.

Fair Folk are matriarchal, with young Fair Folk often travelling alone or joining mercenary corps in order to see the world, form their opinions, and join or recruit any wandering Clansfolk they deem fit on their travels. Many Fairfolk either return to their clan when they next cross paths, with whoever they may be travelling with, or carry on the adventure solo or with friends, often affectionately referred to as "Me Clan". Some even choose to join another community and integrate, this experience often inspires the jaded rejection of modernity so characteristic of the Fair Folk.. but not always. 

Fair Folk are also famed for their skill on horseback, ever since early Fair Folk were given the mighty god horse, Enbarr by Nemed as a reward for fighting alongside the Elves and Humans in defence against the dragons, and from him, derived a race of horses capable of running on land and water with ease. The Fair Folk pride themselves on being able to do anything that can be done on foot, whilst mounted. Because of this culture, it's rare to find a Fair Folk without an equine companion of some description.

Most knowledge is passed down orally through poem, story and song via lorespeakers, wise elders, many of whom were charmers. Charmers are essentially mages who specialise in the encouragement of growth, and the guiding of rivers, hills, trees and other formations in order to maintain the balance of nature and creating the best environment in it.

 

Whilst often seen as aloof and disinterested, the Fair Folk harbour a deep and passionate desire for balance, humility and wisdom. Towards those who posess these traits, Fair Folk will be remarkably forthcoming and generous.

Elves. "our oldest friends, longevity, wisdom and deep thought occupy much of their time it seems, we are only too happy to call them the wardens of our shaded lands. Though their age and wisdom does not teach them humility, it seems.

Dwarves. “Dwarves are dull, loud and seem remarkably keen to destroy what's around them. But what they lack in reverence, they make up in creativity and inteligence. And I must admit, their best smiths produce blades that rival even elven quality. Their devotion to the rock which, from which we build little more than crude homes, earns Dwarves our respect.”

Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and that is not a quality to scorn. They’re good folk, they care for each other and tend their gardens, and they have proven themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises. I trust anyone who is willing to pick up a trowel and use it to defend the sanctity of their tulip bed.”

Humans. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away makes humans dangerous and brash, their endeavors seem so futile in comparison to the mighty cathedrals of great oaks, or the humble magnificence of a mountain. But then you look at what they have accomplished, when not killing as many as possible, their contributions to art and thought are not to be dismissed.”

 

 

Fair Folk Traits

Your Fair Folk character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of many centuries of being part of this land.

Friendly Folk

Has an affinity with wild animals, can communicate basic things with them and a skilled speaker may even command the beast. 

Druidic Upbringing

The Fair Folk are raised by the family as a whole, but taught primarily by druids. Because of this wealth of natural knowledge growing up, many Fair Folk can cast some spells. Wisdom buff increased by +3

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age

Fair Folk reach physical maturity at about 40 years, the Fair Folk understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. A Fair Folk typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 70 and can live to be 800 years old.

Size

Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 45 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish and Druidic.