Faeries and Demons

"I... I don't understand Master. Then what is the difference between a demon and a faerie. Shan't we all shun them alike?"

"We shall, my student. This is what the creator demands, because they are in their world and we are in ours, and this is the creators great design. We shall not tempt them, because they are not content with their existence. For us they are but stories and ideas, but in the great plan the Creator granted a place to even them. A place to be real. And yet they ask to be real in a world they don't belong to, do what ideas do, reform the worlds in their image until they have a place. Not just their world, but others too, and first and formost ours, which is the only one that gives birth to new and ever new stories. "

"So why not call them all demons or faeries?"

well.. it is a bit of a technical distinction. Know my student, that in some of them this great desire is bigger than in others. They have made their way to the Counterrealm, which lies behind the Veil, the very no man's land, that separates our world from theirs. They want to be real. They don't understand that even their presence here invites the plague. In a sense they are further along the forbidden path than those faeries which remain in their realms. This is why we call them by a different name. This is why we call them demons. They want to be real in a place that is not theirs, and they will do anything to achieve it, regardless what that means.

— Discussion in the great temple of Bayestril, between Templar of the Sage-Aspect Tholeman Thuris and his student

Faeries

The name most cultures on Ardu, at least those who once were part of the Ring empire have adapted for the beings beyond the Veil is Faerie: Inhabitants of the Faeworlds.

Some cultures, especially the culmerians, the aes the caldavians and the aquirans use it to also describe Elves and Gelf, because they believe that both are descendent from Fae creatures. All around the inner Sea this is a common belief among humans, likely because it was the prevalent belief during the Ring empire, if the chronicle's of R'hyll can be trusted. It is furthermore still propagated by the Church of the Creator and the The Faith of the Seven alike. Be that as it may be, the tradition to call Elves and Gelf Faeries hasn't found much resonance in other regions, and if someone there talks about Faeries, one can be sure they talk about the mythical beings who dwell beyond the Veil.

Demons

Not technically living in the counterrealm, but rather lurking, are the Demons, which is the technical term for all Fae creatures who haunt the counterrealm, regardless from which Fae realm they originate. As representatives of human concepts, they are not all "evil" per se, but all hungering for a way to achieve substantiality on the other side of the veil. They want to pass through it and reform reality on Ardu in their image, such that they may persist here eternally by common consensus, regardless if this means that they have to become a so called plaguefiend.

This agenda alone makes them dangerous, as they often represent unbalanced concepts, which, taken out of context, can be very harmful (although don't have to be). Having gained conscience and identity they also have names, true ones, by which they can, allegedly, be summoned, but also common ones, by which they are known and refered too.
All of them however were lured into the counterrealm by the promise of "becoming real" if they just manage to do one of three things:

1. Hijack the body of a mind traveler through the entrypoint of his mind journey,
2. find a demonologist who will conjure them into the body of a poor victim, in exchange for "demonic services, or
3. become a patron to a conscious being on Ardu and forge pacts with these so called warlocks or witches to make them further their concept, until they can pass through the veil on their own to finally overtake the body of the very warlock or witch who helped them.

"But... if its our thoughts and wishes which create them, why don't we have power over them?"

"First off.. do you have power over what you wish for or desire...? You don't. Have you?. However that is not the real question is it?"

"... i mean... it kinda is... but how are we even sure it is our wishes who create them? Could it not also be the Fae which creates them through us... i mean.. if we do not know where wishes and thoughts come from?"

"Now that... that is the question!... This is why we steel our mind, and allow only those of us to meddle with the Fae, who have been trained rigorously and tested profusely. To make sure it forms to how we want it, and not to form accordng to how it wants us..."

— Discussion in the great temple of Bayestril, between Templar of the Sage-Aspect Tholeman Thuris and his student

"Common" Faeries. An attempt.

Long time the Church of the Creator and other sages have attempted to create a catalogue of beings that inhabit the Fae. Already condemned to failure on Ardu, due to the nature of Faebirth, this attempt is even harder in the vast multiverse that are the Faeworlds. Be that as it may be, myths often follow a pattern, and even completely different cultures often come up with similar ideas and myths to explain the facts of life and beyond. If this is because the Fae makes it so or not is an open argument among the sages around the world, which is far from settled.

What follows is a small catalogue of common Faeries (or demons) which have been witnessed time and time again by visitors of the worlds behind the veil:

1. Faeries representing elemental principles

The idea that there are four elemental principles which govern the world: fire, air, water and earth, has been part of human society for centuries and has prominent representations in the Fae. Each of the principles has at least one (if not several) Fae realms, which can be reached from places in the counterrealm that coincide with huge sources of the respective element in the real world.

The academic dispute which came first, the idea of elements (which formed the Fae) or the the elemental Fae realms (which informed the idea), is the one fought most fervent, as it also coincides with the opinion that elements are real (usually held by those who believe that the fae realms came first) or just a matter of classification.

Fire elementals

Fire Elementals

Fire elementals in a Fae realm of Elemental Fire.

Also called salamanders, the fire faeries originate from fae realms of elemental fire. Quite a few of them depict a lizard like appearance, which led to the name, even though conscious flames, burning buffaloes (or Armorheads) and red skinned humanoid creatures called efreeti have been seen, as have spooky will-o'-wisps who are usually counted to be among the demons.

They represent fire and are immune against its effects but very vulnerable to water and ice. Once a fire elemental turns into a fire demon and settles in the counterrealm, they can usually be found in places that coincide with volcanoes in the real world. Quite a few however can also be found in the counterrealm representation of Orom and the Sea of Sand. Some demonic salamanders settle in sampy areas. These are called "Will-o'wisps" or "jack-o'lanterns" in the vernacular and can be quite deceptive.

Their personality is often brash and passionate, they are easy to anger, but can be surprisingly kind and warm at heart especially towards those who know how to handle them. They have an exceptional control about heat and can very well decide who to burn and who to spare. For some unknown reason most (about three quarters) of all fire elmentals appear male.

Water Elementals

Undines

A group of undines in the fae realm of elemental water

Undines, also called Naiads, Nymphs or Sirens are, usually female, Fae representations of the priciples assigned to water. This does not mean that male waterelementals don't exist, but they are harder to find and also less approachable, and yet oftentimes more straightforward, than their female counterparts.

Undines are known to be polite and deceptively friendly on the first glance, but they are known to first beguile their enemies (or prey) and then drown them with prejudice. They are enigmatic beings which are known to speak only when they have something to say. They harbor a cold rage if angered and wait for the perfect moment to strike for revenge, but they can also fall into terribly wrathful, and often destructive, fits of rage if pushed over the edge. Undines are very adaptive and may endure unfortunate situations for long times. Once a chance for change arises however they follow it without looking back.

Undines often appear as antropomorphic versions of sea creatures (Fish people, antropmorphic seals etc...) or stunningly attractive humanoids seemingly made entirely of water (called Marids). This list of apperances is far from conclusive of course and all kinds of (usually water aligned) forms have been witnessed with these adaptable spirits.

Demonic undines, so called sirens, settle in places of the counterrealm that coincide with large (or vital) bodies of water on Ardu.

Earth Elementals

Oreads, Dao, Gnomes...

Three elementals and a gnome in a dune landscape in the Fae realm of elemental Earth: A sand oread, a Rock oread and an elemental moleworm (likely the mount of the gnome)

Faeries associated with the concept of earth, also called Dao or Oreads, originate from the Fae realms of elemental Earth. Here they are said to serve the gelflike gnomes, who also inhabit these Fae realms, at least according to many human sages who live around the Inner Sea. This claim was largely influenced by the beliefs prevalent in the Ring empire however.

The name "gnomes" for these Faeries was likely chosen on purpose by the Church of the Creator, as both the Church and the High elves argue that the Gelf on Ardu were originally Fae beings from the Fae realms of elemental earth (which explains their "digging claws").

Neither the Undergelf nor the Uppergelf agree with this. They see a connection of their kin not with the realms of elemental earth, but rather with the realm they call "The First world": a neverending world tree forest, which they claim resembles the world before the humans arrived.

Be that as it may be, gelf and gelflike beings can be found on the planes of earth. Conrary to the gelf of Ardu, they seem to take no issue with being called gnomes, and oftentimes even refer to themselves as such. The Gelf on Ardu, those who are able to travel through the Fae, so mostly powerful gelf druids, gelf shamans or experiecned undergelf arcansists, recognize the kinship, but deny any true connection. They see the "gnomes" as a representation of common ideas about the gelf, rather than "the real thing". A cheap copy, if you will.

Oreads, the true earth elementals, come in all shape and forms which are usually associated with earth and rock, be it conscious heaps of sand (which oftentimes have the ability to reform into any form they desire), humanoids made of rock or giant animals or monsters (or hybrids thereof) who are classically associated with earth and digging (like moleworms, badgermoles etc...).

Earth elementals (and elemental gnomes) are famous for being incredibly stubborm and unbendable in their ideas. Except the sand oreads who are more flexible, but also less trustworthy.

Demonic earth elementals and gnomes usually settle in regions of the counterrealm which are closely connected to huge bodies of sand or rock on Ardu.

Air Elementals

Sylphes, Djinns, Air elementals

Different air elementals in the Fae real of elmental air.

Air elementals originate from the Faerealms of elemental Air, bottomless places in which travel is possible only by flying. These Fae realms are characterized by constant wind that shifts direction within fractions of a second. The few visitors who came back from here swear, that the wind was constantly blowing into their faces, as if it was on purpose.

The place is inhabited by the so called sylphes, elementals which at times remind at living clouds and at other times at birdlike beings. Some beings called djinn by the people of the south have also settled in this realm. They have a blueish skin and are sometimes said to grant wishes if they can be captured. They are also more often than not of demonic nature.

Air elementals are usually fickle and unreliable, with the notable exception of djinns who always stay true to their promises, yet who find joy in twisting the words of those promises as much as they can. All of the air elementals love freedom however, and there is hardly a worse fate for them than being trapped in a closed of room.

Air elemental demons usually settle in places of the counterrealm which coincide with places in the "real" world where the air is strong, like high mountain peaks or the path of storms.

Celestials / Virtues

Celestials, Virtues

Six different celestials, displaying a small fraction of the multitude of forms which celestials can take.

Celestials, also called Virtues, are Fae representation of just these: Virtuous traits (or those which are considered virtuous by at least one culture on Ardu.) In this they work a lot like the elemental Fae, with the difference that it is not a physical, but a social principle they represent. They can usually be found in the vicinity of faerealms that form the afterlife for a certain culture.

There are for example the Valkyr, Aes celestials who inhabit the Hall of the Gods and the fields of honor around it. They represent qualities like courage and steadfastness, but also the ability to hold your liquor, which all are qualities very important to an Aes. Or the celestials of the Idyll which do not represent just one singular virtue, but those sets of seven virtues that are asssociated with specific aspects of the Creator respectively. In the vernacular they are known as aspectvirtues.

The scholarly name "celestial" means "starbound" and originates from an old havenian word for all faerealms: celestial planes. During the times of the Ring empire for example, it was custom to call all faeries celestials, while the inhabitants of Ardu and the counterrealm were called terestrial, which means earthbound in havenian. Fittingly, both Ardu and the Counterrealm were called the "terestrial planes". These times are over however, nowadays the title celestial belongs solely to the Virtues that inhabit the outer Faerealms.

Because of this, there are, per se, no "celestial" demons. Not because they do not exist, but because the classification as celestials does not allow for them. Celestials who settle in the counterrealm become terestrials, also called Sins or devils in the vernacular.

Celestials are not bound to a certain form. Much like their "counterpart", the terestrials, they can change their appearance at a whim. Unlike the terestrials however, they are known to use this ability rather rarely. Most celestials "settle" for a form recognizeable by the humans and stay in it. Valkyr for example, who usually choose the form of a female warrior on a steed, or the Archae of the Oromi Creationism, who appear as stunningly beautiful (and oftentimes nude) humanoid messengers with wings.

Terestrials / Devils / Sins

Terestrials / Sin

A terestrial in four different forms.

By definition Terestrials (also called Devils) are demons and can only be found in the counterrealm. All Sins were once Virtues who, not content with their existence as mere ideas to guide the mortals, strove to become real, which ultimately corrupted them. Once a celestial begins to aspire to achieve reality on Ardu, it is said that he "falls", which leads to the moniker "fallen celestials" for all devils.

Over the ages quite many sages (and leyman in magical affairs) have asked if a virtue becoming real couldn't also be a good thing. Among these misled folk, it's a recurring idea that a virtue could do nothing but good on Ardu. Most pacts humans have are pacts with devils, and they usually start of rather harmless based on this misled notion.

Common consensus among the Church (and all other major religions) however is, that a Virtue might not in itself cause harm, but the singleminded focus on just this virtue in expense of all others, which a devil represents, does. Furthermore, once a celestial settles in the counterrealm, its bond to the virtue it once represented becomes little more than a hollow promise, a tool to convince but nothing to abide by, if it threatens the process of becoming real.

Terestrials, much like celestials, are able to take any form or shape they want, yet unlike the celestials they do not have a standard form they usually revert to, but choose their apperance singularly focused on if it helps them with their end goal: to achieve "reality" on Ardu. Therefore the form of a terestrial can be astonishingly beautiful or terrifying, depending on if the virtue attempts to elicit awe or fear.

Devils are very talented illusionists, liars and tricksters (especially those who were celestials of truth before they fell). Among their diverse kin are the ever changing imps as are the succubi of legend and many other kin of devils who rely on trickery and deception. People who deal with sin demons are advised to neither trust their words nor any of the things they see in their vicinity.

Wyldlings, Fey

Wyldlings

Wyldling Spirits in one of the Wyld's

Probably the Fae realms closest to Ardu, and one where sometimes the transition from the counterrealm is unnoticeable even to experienced Fae travelers, are the Wylds. Erroneously called "the Wyld" (or the "Feywyld" sometimes), the Faewyld is not one homogenous or continuous region, but, much like the elemental domains, separated into multiple realms which occasionally can't even be reached from each other, because of how different they have become.

The reason for this misconception is the relative prevalence of untamed wilderness on Ardu. Only the region around the Inner Sea (the Ring) is relatively "civilized", at least by human standards. The further one removes oneself away from this ocean, the more untamed the wilderness becomes. Even the Cityleague of Eridu, the major breakthrough between the Inner Sea and the outer Oceans, and one of the oldest settled regions of the world, is no exception because of the large distances between the major settlements,and how unexplored both The Southern Plain and the Plain of Eridu remain.

The very concept of untamed wildernis, which is the basis for a "Wyld", is so strong in these untamed regions, that it has formed a continuous (and relatively stable) realm very close to Ardu, separated by only a thin counterrealm shell from the real world. This is the "Feywyld". Wherever the wildernis is strong in the real world, even in relatively developed regions, it is possible to pass over to the Feywyld from the Counterrealm. Being by far the easiest faerealm to reach, it understandably took hold in the common consensus as the "place where the fey live". It is however far from being the only "Wyld" that exists. There are "Wylds" further "out" for example, which are connected to stranger concepts, like the Endless Plain, the Everwinter and the First World, a continuous worldtree jungle, of whom Gelf , Norn and Sitha believe that this was the world before the humans came.

Hence, while all fey are Wyldlings, not all Wyldlings are fey, even though the distinction is lost to most leyman.

"So a Wyldling is not a fey, but a Fey...being?"

"uhm... yes, But you pronounce it wrong. Its "Faebeing". Not "Feybeing" Its Faerie, not Feyrie."

"you just used the same word"

"No.. see... not all Wyldlings are fey but all fey are wyldlings. And both wyldlings and fey are fae beings."

"You... are mocking me..."

— A mage from the Tower of Amn and a caldavian soldier discuss Fey, Fae and Wyldlings in "The Stoic Arm"

The plethora of forms in which wyldlings and fey appear is countless. They are usually not able to change forms as celestials and devils do, even though there are a few notable exceptions to this rule, like the fey-changelings for example. The beastlike beastkin are among the wyldlings, as are the faun's and satyr's, the brownies and the ettercap, but also stranger ones like the giant Otyud, the Pellarhorns or the Coelaquad.

At the same time the boundary between feywyld and counterrealm is so continuous and subtle, that many a fey has accidently turned into a demon, simply by following the wrong path into the counterrealm and then falling victim to its corrupting influence. The majority of wyldling demons in the counterrealm are therefore fey.