Faerie Folk

There are many different fae. We call them all Faerie Folk as a group, despite only some actually being Faeries. They refer to themselves as just "Folk." This is a list with some details of appearance and character. For more information, see Rifts Conversion Book pp.99-108
But first, some general notes:
Most Faerie Folk are amusing, capricious, and mischievous. Some are downright cruel. All Faerie Folk are proud.
Faerie Folk share the same sensibilities as a children's story. From their names to their humor, they are easily amused and give an air of naive innocence. Don't let that fool you, however, as behind this childish demeanor are wily and insightful minds. So while they may be easily amused by the silliest of displays, they are also capable of constructing the most devious and complex of plans.
While there are many different species among the Folk, they group themselves into the Seelie and the Un-seelie. There is no specific organized delineation between the two, but they know who they are. The seelie are those who admire beauty and are sociable and generally good-natured. The un-seelie are those who are not Seelie, as one would expect from their name. They are typically ugly (to the Seelie) and full of hatred, but some, like Spriggans, are just loners who prefer not to be bothered.
In times of great import, many of the Seelie leaders will seek each other's council to organize a response. This gathering is nown as the Seelie Court and is a magnificent concentration of puissance. Albos and other creatures of beauty and purity are often permitted and even invited to attend.
The Seelie Faerie Folk are: (in alphabetical order)

• Brownie - 30cm tall - fur-covered but for cute round face. Like floppy hats - very shy but kind and dutiful
• Faeries - 15cm tall max with butterfly wings
  • Faerie - golden-haired with bright many-colored wings - merry and carefree - either nude or in flowy clothes
  • Green Wood Faerie - greenish skin, black hair and wings of deep reds and earths - usually clothed
  • Dreamlight - dark grey-green with black hair and luminous blue wings - usualy naked
  • Silver Bell - pale with pale hair and pure white wings - white and pastel flowing gowns - love to dance and sing most
• Nymph - appear as Albos (actually as the epitome of beauty to the observer) bathed in light or aglow but are actually insubstantial - gentle and compassionate, but vengeful
• Pixies - up to 30cm tall - cute/handsome - no wings but can fly with magic
  • Pixie - fair skin with orange-red hair - wear sensible clothes - bold. Love to play good-natured tricks
  • Frost Pixie - light blue skin with white/silver hair - usually wear furs just for looks - avoids outsider contact but not shy, do so by causing frostbite and chills, etc.
• Sprites: - only 10cm tall - always nude - cheerfully ditzy and full of mischief
  • Tree Sprite - bright chartreuse with clear yellow wings - would play 24hrs a day if could
  • Water Sprite - pale skin, dark hair and blue irridescent wings - love to tease anything larger than they
  • Wind Puff - pale skin with pink hair and pink-frilled white wings - shy but curious, not as prone to play tricks but will in response to bad attitudes

Some of the Unseelie Faerie Folk are: (in alphabetical order)

• Bogie - 20cm tall - Ugly, spindly black, insect-like - nude - Cruel, ill-tempered but loyal and protective
• Leprechaun - 60 to 90cm tall - curly white hair and beard, smiling eyes - wear fine dark suit usually black or green with fancy gold adornments - moody and sly who live for thievery
• Puck - 90 to 120cm tall - horned and ugly satyr-like - hate-filled and cruel vandals and sadistic torturers - nude but will wear armor
• Spriggan - 80 to 100cm tall - Husky, ruddy with wild brown hair - grumpy loners who will enforce their solitude - love to build mysterious temples to the unknown
• Toad Stool - 60 to 90cm tall/long when extended but will usually be found crouching - Ugly, wart-covered with large mouths - naked - spiteful and mean and will eat smaller faerie folk

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

There are countless faerie folk in the British Isles and across northern Europe.
In North American, several hundred came through Rifts in The Free Lands and The Magic Zone.
Asia and Africal also contain abundant Faerie Folk populations.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Faerie Folk take names inspired by the world around them. As they have childlike sensibilities, so do their names. Faerie Folk have no traditional use for family names, but their exposure to civilized races of big-folk gave them the idea. Faerie folk like taking a second name so they can use it to sound stuffy and important, especially when they get an opportunity to use it in the presence of big-folk. Most will not remember their second name from one use to the next unless they have occassion to repeat it often. As a result, they will often get into competitions with each other to generate an impressive-sounding second name when introducing themselves to big-folk. Of course, their mischievous nature means that sometimes they get a little too silly, to the giggling applause of their kin.
Some of the larger folk like Leprechauns also enjoy taking the title Mr. or Mrs. with their second name when speaking with and among big-folk. In fact, they take pride in keeping their real names secret from big-folk.
Only Nymphs are known to avoid adopting second names.

Major Organizations

A group of Faery Folk is known as a shenanigan.

Courtship Ideals

Since Faerie Folk had encountered Albos more than any other race in Palladium they tended to adopt the Albos romantic ideal as well. They did this with as much respect as with mocking derision, exaggerating the motions and speech to the point of satire. Since Faerie Folk live even longer than Albos, most have not yet forgotten or moved on to emulating any other culture's courtship rituals.

Relationship Ideals

Faerie Folk prefer to spend time with others of their same species. However, they will often intermingle for safety and security, especially on Rifts Earth.

Average Technological Level

On Rift's Earth, Faerie Folk have begun to adopt technological tools when they can get their hands on them. Woe to the person who comes across a fae with a grenade and the will to use it.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Each species of Faerie Folk has its own dialect of Fae-speek, but they can mostly understand each other conversationally. Since they are magical beings, their ability to use magical means to understand others' speech certainly helps.

Common Dress Code

Norms of style and beauty differ from Fae species to fae species, but in general they take their style cues from the Albos or other big-folk they watch and respect. Thus if you find them wearing clothes, they will usually be styled after the elegent flowing attire of the Albos or dressed in the acoutrements of gardeners and travellers.
Faery Folk who call themselves warriors will also emulate big-folk warriors they have seen; wearing armor made from leaves, bark or fur and wearing stolen items or small wooden replicas of weapons they have seen. Some Faerie Folk actually take great pride in their craftsmanship and have been known to make armor imbued with enchanted protections.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

A shenanigan will not let a day go by without a sunset lullaby or a concert complete with dancing, singing and snacks held under a starlit sky or in the dappled shade of a forest or a sunlit field of clover.
Any time visitors are received is an excuse for a shenanigan to dance and sing and frolic about, much to the chagrin of whatever plans and goals those visitors might have had.

Common Taboos

Anyone who harms one of the Faerie Folk will earn the ire of all the faerie folk (except perhaps those Folk who are cruel and hateful and who enjoy causing harm themsleves. These Folk might appreciate someone who hurts other Folk)

History

Hailing from the world of Palladium, they came across to Earth's British Isles during the first millenium A.D. It is unknown how many of that group, if any, survived up to the coming of the rifts.
Since the coming of the rifts, there have been several connections between Rifts Earth and the Palladium world. And since Faerie Folk are among the first to cross to Rifts Earth because they are so attuned to magic, they can be found almost anywhere.

The cover image shows three Common Faeries

Faerie Folk make interesting Player Characters but be careful about causing mischief and playing tricks, especially on your other party members. That style of play can quickly lose its humor and fun for the rest of the group.