Unseelie - The Court of Winter
Structure
Leadership
The Unseelie Court is under the absolute authority of the Banrí ruirech known as The Morrigan, the Unfathomably powerful Queen of Air and Darkness, the Mistress of Winter. The Word of the Morrigan is absolute within the court, enforced by a powerful ere-hud that compells those within the Court to follow her words to the letter. The spirit of those commands is less iron-clad, allowing for factions, even hostile ones, to exist within the Court as lower nobility vies for influence and position. As a result of this, The Morrigan issues very few commands, choosing their words carefully and precisely. The Morrigan commands a level of respect and deference, even from those in active rebellion or exile. Beneath The Morrigan are the Banrí Buiden, the Queens of Bands. There are four of these powerful nobles, the Winter Lords of Falias, Findias, Gorias and Murias, ruling those 4 cities during the months between Kalan-Goañv and Kala-Hañv. Additionally, six of the Tempestarii Towers are affiliated with the Unseelie Court, with a single Banrí Buiden serving as the leader of Magonia for Winter. Beneath the Banrí Buiden are the Banri Benn, the Queens of Peaks, who rule over smaller segments of the population. These lesser nobles are the most numerous, but can individually command power equal to the Banrí Buiden in exceptional cases within their Sovereignty. They are typically the stewards of mountains, islands and forests. Rank is typically viewed as a combination of Arkane power and political influence and individuals may rise and fall in these positions as the machinations and power plays of the Fae are carried out. Beneath the nobility are the Trouping Fae, regular Sidhe associated with the Winter Court. Solitary Fae, who have removed themselves from the social hierarchy of Faerie remain associated with the underlying magical trends of the Courts but do not answer to them under most circumstances or receive support from the Courts. Ostensibly, the Courts are under the domain of the Ard Banrí, but this position has been vacant since the Calamity of Tara.Membership
The Unseelie Court of Winter is a powerful entity, exerting cultural, magical and political influence over roughly half of the Sidhe, standing in balanced opposition to the Seelie Court of Summer. Most trouping Sidhe belong to one of the Courts, unless sworn to Tir na nÓg or Ar Chase Gouez. Membership in the Courts is determined after a Sidhe comes of age, and appears unconnected from genetics, although families will often fall within the same Court.Species
The membership of the Unseelie Court, like its Summer counterpart, includes a wide range of peoples, including the Tuatha de Danaan, the Tempestarii, the Nathair, the Glaistig and the Paolig, among others. Solitary Sidhe are typically loosely associated with one of the two courts, but lack the control and magically-reinforced allegiance that defines the Trouping Sidhe. The above represents the organizational structure followed by the majority of the Sidhe, including the Eladan. Six of the Thirteen Tempestarii Towers are associated with Winter, representing the Court in Magonia, with the towers rotating the rank of Banrí Buiden each Winterrule. Tempestarii captains, elected positions, are viewed as the equivalent of Banrí Benn. The notoriously independent Paolig do not have noble ranks, only recognizing the ranks of other Sidhe nobility within their express sovereign territory.Culture
The Unseelie Court draws its power from Winter, and their Huderezh is typically associated with the cold, darkness, night and death. These associations have led many sources to decry the Unseelie as evil, a malicious counterpoint to the more positive associations of the Seelie Court. However, the Unseele exist not as an antagonistic force, but merely a balancing one. A cooling breeze to offset scorching heat, darkness to hide from enemies, night to rest and death as a natural part of the cycle of renewal and rebirth. The Unseelie also associate with hearthfire, controlling their fire magic with tempered practice rather than the passionate, unrestrained firestorms of the Seelie. The two Courts will typically be at great odds with each other, especially around the festivals of Kalan-Goañv and Kala-Hañv.
Individuals of the Unseelie Court have a reputation for restraint and subtlety, favouring refined dancing and somber music over wild, energetic displays, aspects of which often carry over to personal interactions, which rely on measured speech and calm logic over impassioned rhetoric. This gives them an air of cold aloofness that puts many at unease.
Public Agenda
The Winter Court exists in opposition to Summer, locked in a Cold War
cold war with their rivals since the Calamity of Tara, culminating in bi-annual flashpoints of open conflict at Kalan-Goañv and Kala-Hañv as rule shifts between the two factions. Evenly matched at all times, neither side can claim victory, and the tide changes at the next battle. The rest of the year is taken up by general antagonism and occasionally organized raids and snatches on the other's territory.
Driven by this cyclical conflict, the Courts of Summer and Winter have each turned their attention to external parties to upset the balance, leading to a complex proxy system that has dragged the Courts into the affairs of the Bediz, Korrigan and Fomorians. Korrigan Troupes in particular, are seen as natural extensions of the Sidhe Courts, and irridentist factions within both Winter and Summer seek to bring these groups back into the fold of their power. Fomorians and Bediz often marry into or otherwise join the Sidhe, and they (in the case of Milliget or their offspring are placed within one of the Courts by Ere-Hud.
The Courts, while striving to take power, rarely push beyond balancing their opponent, or slightly edging them out in terms of strength. The Alfr, a Fae species in the Northeast of Kornôgel, provides a
cautionary tale against unchecked power, as the Erlking, the Rí ruirech of the Alfr, killed his counterpart, taking full control over the Sovereignty and plunging it into an age of darkness.
The Courts stand as the largest factions of the Trouping Sidhe, but not the only ones. The Ar Chase Gouez, the Wild Hunt of Hellequin, a powerful Ri Benn claims to rule the Wilds, while the Golden Citadel of Tir na nÓg, under the leadership of Rí Buiden Manannán mac Lir serve as the defenders of culture and civilization. Both of these, existing in similar opposition to each other, were made in response to the rise of The Erlking, but have since evolved into their present forms. These groups are independent of the Courts of the Seasons, and those who swear allegiance to them are removed from the Courts and the Ere-Hud associated with them. The Winter and Summer Courts grant passage to the Hunt across its lands, while also providing material support to the Golden Citadel for the common defense of the Fortunate Isles.
History
Since time immemorial, the Courts have existed in a unified balance, controlling the seasons with their powerful Arkane powers. This changed with the death of Ard Rí Nuada Airgetlám at the hands of Balor One-eye
and the Calamity of Tara, where the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann (+), essential to crown a new Ard Rí, were lost. It is unclear of the role of the Courts of the Seasons before the Calamity, or even if they existed at the time of Nemed the Traveler. What is known is that the Courts took their present forms during the Calamity.
The Morrigan and Gloriana fell to fighting, invading Albia and Northwestern Kornôgel in an attempt to seize more power against their rivals. Only the Rise of the Erlking brought an end to the open warfare in 39 SI. The Winter Court remained a passive partner of Kernev, Logres and a strong ally of the Royal Magocracy of Fjallkonan until the Fall of Ys (~249 SI).
Winter forced the Courts to remain neutral during the Fall of Kameled to Fomoriian King Vortigern in 298 SI, preventing Summer from taking action. Winter similarly remained officially neutral during The War of the Brekilien (393 - 404 SI), although it provided some support to Conomor the Cursed during his rise. Winter did not take part in The Battle of Keremma Dunes (429 SI) between the Seelie Court and The Southern Church
In 773 SI, the Morrigan and her Court were recognized as Peers of the Realms with the The Throne of Menez Hom, as was the Seelie Court and the Korrigan Troupes. Winter supported the Fomorian conquest of Hastings Fireforged, while Summer supported the counterattacks of Dug Alan "Al Louarn" II
in 1210 SI, The Courts of the Seasons marched together on Per-Ys briefly besieging the capital.
Type
Political, Faction / Party
Capital
Alternative Names
The Court of Winter, the Wintercourt, the Court of Air and Darkness
Demonym
Unseelie
Leader
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Theocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
The Winter Court, like the Summer Court, has no official currency, instead relying on a complex system of magically enforced contracts and ere-hud. Fae economics is based on three core concepts; Balance, Desire and Literalism.
A trade must be predicated on an exchange of equal value. This determination, however, is based entirely on subjective circumstances, rather than an agreed upon objective standard set by a third party. An example is set with an exchange for gold. A single gold coin is worth more to a poor man than a rich one, so the coin has more buying power as a result of its value to the spender. Likewise, the more an object is desired, the higher the price.
Sidhe society is not beholden to single units of currency such as coins however (and in fact rarely uses them),
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Comments