
### **Beware the Invitation of the Fae**

A ring of mushrooms in the forest, a flicker of movement just beyond the trees, the sound of laughter where no one stands—these are not mere oddities of nature. They are warnings. You are in Fae territory now. 

The **Fae** are often glimpsed as whimsical, delicate beings, fluttering through meadows with wings of gossamer and mischief in their eyes—but such appearances can be deceiving. But to those who know better, they are **as cruel as they are beautiful, as merciless as they are enchanting**. The world of the Fae is one of illusions, bargains, and riddles, where one careless mistake can cost a soul more than it ever intended to wager.

### **The Many Faces of the Fae**

The **Fae** have walked this land for longer than memory recalls, their presence woven into the very fabric of our world, where their presence lingers just beyond the veil, deeply rooted in **Irish and Scottish folklore**, where they are known as the **Aos Sí**—an ancient race of supernatural beings who dwell in the Otherworld but frequently interact with mortals. Some say they are the remnants of the **Tuatha Dé Danann**, powerful deities who retreated underground after losing control of Ireland, powerful deities who retreated underground after losing control of Ireland.

There are two primary factions of the Fae:

- **The Seelie Court:** These fairies may appear more benevolent, offering small favors or even assisting those they favor. But their aid always comes with a price, and slighting them can be just as dangerous as angering their darker counterparts.
- **The Unseelie Court:** Wild, malevolent, and unpredictable, the Unseelie Fae delight in leading travelers astray, causing misfortune, and ensnaring humans in cruel tricks. Unlike the Seelie, they are more inclined to harm rather than help.

Many Fae are **humanoid**, with **ethereal beauty, pointed ears, and eyes that gleam with unnatural light**. Others, like the **Pooka**, are shape-shifters, appearing as black horses, monstrous hounds, or even twisted goblin-like figures. The **Banshee**, a mournful spirit, heralds death with her wailing cries, while the **Dullahan**, a headless rider, is said to claim souls for the afterlife.

### **Stories of Enchantment and Terror**

The Fae are known for **stealing children**, replacing them with changelings—sickly, eerie infants who do not cry or grow as they should. They weave **glamours** to disguise themselves, appearing as beggars, beasts, or even dear loved ones long lost.

Many travelers who **follow a lantern light into the woods never return, their fate sealed by unseen hands**. Of musicians who play a tune so enchanting that the Fae take them, their melodies never heard again by mortal ears. Of those who make a careless wish, only to have it granted in the cruelest way possible.

There are warnings about the **Fairy Midwife**,, a woman who unknowingly assisted a Fae in childbirth. She was gifted with the ability to see the Fae after rubbing fairy ointment on her eyes, but when the Fae discovered this, they blinded her in one eye to ensure their world remained hidden from mortals.   His crops failed, his cows wasted away, and his voice withered to nothing but a whisper. The last time he was seen, he was walking toward the fairy mound, answering a voice no one else could hear.

### **The Veil Between Worlds: Where the Fae Dwell**

The Fae move **between worlds**, slipping through places where reality bends—**ancient forests, misty moors, caves where the sun never reaches, and sacred hills known as fairy mounds** (or **Sidhe mounds**, as they are called in Irish tradition). Their world, the **Otherworld**, exists in the spaces between—an eternal twilight of beauty and danger, a realm of treacherous wonder.

They leave **fairy rings**, circles of mushrooms or stones, marking the presence of their realm—an ongoing and active sign that should never be ignored. Step inside, and you may find yourself in a world where time flows strangely, where a single night can stretch into a hundred years. And should you eat their food, you may never return at all.

### **The Trickery of the Fae: Powers & Abilities**

- **Glamour & Illusions:** The Fae can shape reality as they please, making the grotesque appear beautiful, the ordinary seem grand, and the dangerous feel safe.
- **Enchantment & Persuasion:** Their voices weave spells. A Fae’s promise can be honeyed poison, leading a mortal into a deal they never meant to make.
- **Control Over Nature:** Some Fae command the winds, others whisper to the roots of trees. They call storms and calm seas as they wish.
- **Time Distortion:** Entering their realm can **twist time**, with years passing in the blink of an eye—or a single night lasting centuries.

### **How to Survive an Encounter with the Fae**

- **Never give them your real name.** Names hold power, and if a Fae knows yours, they may **bind you to their will**.
- **Do not accept gifts or food.** To take food from a Fae is to become **one of them, trapped in their world forever**.
- **Avoid making bargains.** They are masters of twisting words, turning even the simplest request into an ironclad contract that favors them.
- **Carry iron.** The Fae are repelled by cold iron, though it is unclear whether it burns them, disrupts their magic, or simply disgusts them.
- **Speak carefully.** A careless compliment, a boast, or an insult can all turn against you. **Be polite, but not subservient. Wary, but not rude.**

### **Final Warnings & Parting Wisdom**

The Fae are neither wholly good nor wholly evil—they simply **exist by their own laws, their own sense of justice and humor, and those who fail to tread carefully in their realm may quickly find themselves at their mercy.** To them, humans are fascinating playthings, intriguing yet fragile, amusing until they are not.

If you ever hear music playing on the wind, too beautiful to resist, **cover your ears and walk away**. If you find a ring of mushrooms in the woods, **do not step inside**. And if a stranger with eyes too bright and a smile too sharp offers you a dance, **remember this: no matter how enchanting, no matter how kind they may seem, the Fae never give without taking something in return.**

Fairy (Fae): The Tricksters Beyond the Veil


### **Beware the Tengu's Laughter**

High in the mist-covered mountains, where the cedar trees bend under the weight of centuries, something watches. You won’t see them at first, but they see you. A whisper of wind through the branches, a sudden shift in the leaves—small signs that might mean nothing in a safer place. But here, in the domain of the **Tengu**, such signs are a warning. You are trespassing in their realm.

### **The Faces of the Tengu: Appearance & Traits**

Tengu are most often seen as **tall, humanoid beings** with **long noses, sharp eyes, and feathered robes**, their **massive wings** allowing them to soar through the skies. These are the **Dai-Tengu**, ancient and cunning, known for their trickery and martial prowess.

While most tengu are **Dai-Tengu**, appearing as humanoid figures with long noses and powerful wings, some legends speak of **Karasu-Tengu**, crow-like beings that are lesser in stature and more chaotic. While they are often seen as messengers or scouts for their more powerful brethren, some stories suggest that the most cunning Karasu-Tengu may take on greater wisdom and power over time. Tengu can sometimes take on disguises or illusions, but they are most commonly depicted as either humanoid Dai-Tengu or crow-like Karasu-Tengu, each with its own role.

The most well-known depiction of tengu is the **Dai-Tengu**, towering figures with red faces, sharp eyes, and an air of superiority. Their expressions promise both wisdom and danger, making it unclear whether they will guide or torment those who cross their path.

The **tengu’s wings** grant them mastery over the mountain winds, making them swift and elusive. Their sharp claws, though formidable, are often used more for intimidation than direct combat. Most recognizable is their **elongated nose**, a mark of their unnatural origins. Those who have seen them up close say the length of a tengu’s nose reflects its age and cunning—the older, the trickier.

But their most dangerous trait isn’t their talons or their speed—it’s their mind. Tengu are cunning, unpredictable, and playful in a way that often turns deadly. They are **tricksters**, delighting in leading travelers astray, confusing monks, and humbling warriors who think too highly of themselves.

### **Whispers from the Mountains: Stories & Encounters**

Many who venture into the mountains never return. Those that do speak in hushed tones of strange figures watching from the trees, of mocking laughter just out of sight, and of paths that twist impossibly back upon themselves.

One such tale is told of **Daichi the Proud**, a warrior who sought to test his skills against the spirits. He climbed the slopes of Mount Hakurei, boasting that no demon nor ghost could best him. The tengu watched. They listened. And they decided to play.

Daichi’s steps grew heavy as the air itself seemed to warp around him. The path twisted in ways that seemed impossible—landmarks moved, trees shifted, and what should have been a straight route coiled like a serpent. He walked for hours, yet somehow always found himself back at the same ancient cedar. Frustration turned to anger, anger to desperation. He drew his sword, slashing at the trees, screaming into the silence. And then—a voice behind him.

"Lost, are you?" The tengu loomed above him, grinning.

No one knows what happened after that. When they found Daichi days later, he was **muttering nonsense**, his proud warrior’s spirit broken. He never lifted a sword again.

Another story tells of **Aiko the Weaver**, a humble woman who once offered food at a forgotten shrine deep in the mountains. The tengu, intrigued by her generosity, led her safely home when she wandered too far. Ever since, the village leaves offerings in her honor, hoping to earn similar favor.

### **Sacred Peaks & Hidden Shrines: The Tengu’s Domain**

Tengu dwell in **high mountain forests**, where mist clings to the trees and silence stretches unnaturally long, broken only by the occasional rustle of unseen wings. These peaks are sacred, untouched by human hands, and those who step too far risk invoking their wrath.

They prefer ancient, towering trees and hidden mountain shrines, where they perch like watchful guardians—or tormentors. If the wind shifts strangely, if the birds go silent, beware. The tengu are near.

### **Tricksters, Warriors, & Spirits of the Wind: Tengu Abilities**

Tengu are neither fully malevolent nor fully benevolent. They are **arrogant**, believing themselves superior to mortals, and they have little patience for those who do not respect them. But they are also bound by their own twisted sense of honor.

- **Tricksters of the Wilds:** Tengu delight in illusions and deception. They might lead travelers in circles, steal belongings only to return them in impossible places, or mimic voices to confuse and mislead.
- **Martial Masters:** Some tengu are legendary **swordfighters**, and those few warriors deemed worthy may even be trained by them. But earning a tengu’s favor is no easy feat.
- **Masters of Wind & Shadow:** Tengu command the wind, stirring up storms or vanishing in a swirl of leaves and mist.

Above all, **tengu have little tolerance for arrogance**, for to them, a boast is like the buzzing of an insect—irritating, foolish, and certain to bring misfortune. Some legends say tengu were once arrogant monks or warriors who, after death, were cursed to roam the mountains. Others claim they have always been spirits of the wind and forest, existing beyond human understanding. Others claim they have always been creatures of the wind and forest, watching over mortals with mischievous intent, forever bound to mock and test those who follow in their footsteps.

### **Surviving the Tengu: Warnings & Precautions**

- **Never speak ill of the tengu** in their domain. Even the whisper of a boast or insult can bring misfortune.
- **If you get lost in their woods, stop moving.** The more you struggle, the more they’ll play with you. Instead, leave a small offering—sake, rice, or a trinket—to appease them.
- **If a tengu speaks to you, choose your words carefully.** A clever answer may earn their amusement. A foolish one may earn their wrath.
- **Look for subtle signs.** A feather on the path, laughter on the wind, a shadow that moves too quickly—these mean you are being watched.

The story of **Masaru the Merchant** serves as a warning—when he ignored the signs and boasted of his cleverness, the tengu stole his voice, returning it only after a year of silence and humility.

### **Final Warnings & Parting Wisdom**

To some, the tengu are mere nuisances, spirits of mischief best avoided. To others, they are guardians of hidden wisdom, protectors of the mountains, and reluctant teachers to those who prove themselves worthy.

What is certain is this—if you ever find yourself lost in the mountains, and you hear laughter on the wind, do not call out. Do not challenge. And whatever you do, **do not boast.**

trickster spirits

Fairy (Fae): The Tricksters Beyond the Veil

Tengu: The Winged Tricksters of the Mountain