The Fae Commonwealth

In the ancient days the Sidereal kept the lesser fae and shaped them as servants, pets and play things. The lesser Fae formed knots of rebellion and escaped in numbers in the Demon Age wars. The first Unity was in types, the races of the Fae- Elves ( Sidhe, Sluagh, Pooka), Halflings (Dwarf, Gnome), Ogres (Goblin and Troll), Satyr and according to some, Centaurs and Minotaurs. Hobgoblins and lesser fae lacked the wits or will to unify ( it is said). The Fae races made pacts with the spirits of the world to become part of it - alliance with the Elements and the Seasons forming 2 additional Courts. The final Courts were the Sealie - the Bright Court - and the Unsealie, the court of Nightmare. The Grey Host refused to chose Sealie or Unsealie, mostly being concerned with keeping away the Sidereal and other menaces. Another group sought power by malice, despair and Oblivion. The Dark are dedicated to destruction of all.
By tradition the Sealie and Unsealie traded rulership between the Bright Warm and Cold Shadowed seasons, moderated by the Grey court functionaries.
In the Imperial year 592 The Yellow Jade Emperor finalized the exile of the Fae from the Core and other Imperial lands, granting a nominal self ruled region to the Sealie while banning and declaring war on the Unsealie. The sides battled for a decade before the Unsealie created their own Kingdom south of the Imperial Summer Country. The Sealie were able to convince the Empire that they would form a buffer and protection from the Nightmare Court, though the Empire still banned all Goblin, Dark elf and Troll from even ghetto or travel within the Empire Core and Provinces.
The Commonwealth was declared as a unification of the Races of the Fae, including Dwarves, Goblins, Trolls and Dark elves and Satyr under the Sealie Court, while secretly it recognized of the Unsealie lands and dominion as part of the Fae peoples. The Dwarves had largely moved from the Sealie and Unsealie courts and the Seasonal House divisions. They had aligned with Greater Makers and Totems of Made Things, and They refused the supposed rule of the Sealie, which led to the rebellion of 708.

Structure

The rulership is the Monarchy of the Sealie Court and nobles:

• Prince, Princess
• Duke,duchess:
• Marquis. marquessa: provinces
• Count, countessa, countess: county ruler
• Earl: City ruler
• Bannerette, baron - who Oversee several small holds
• Knight, knightess, Dame
• Squires
• Sheriffs: Captains of the Troops
• Marshals: Sworn leaders of levies and recruits
• Heralds: Messengers & diplomats

The second Rank is the Seasonal Court Sultanates which is composed of both Sealie and Unsealie, though only the Seasonal ranks are recognized for the active Season:

• Khan - The Overlords lords of each Season
• Sharif - Princedoms/ kingdoms within the provinces
• Khedive/ Viceroy - 2-3/ kingdom executive officers
• Vizier - City Bosses
• Bey - Town or district Boss
• Pasha - Village Chief
• Sudhar - Officers, judges, registrars.
• Agha - Knights
• Kadi - squires and minor officers/ clerks).

Next are the Breed ranks for the Sidhe, Pooka, Slugah, Dwarves, Gnomes, Goblins, trolls and Satyr and lesser Fae:

• Consul: Political office with 3 consuls as race leaders for the whole of the Commonwealth. It is required that they make unanimous decrees.
• Emeritus: Breed elders and ex-consuls act as a senate advising the Consuls. Maybe City leaders.
• Praetors: Officers performing the duties needed by the breed Consuls and Senate (treasury, registry, administering elections) as well as active city leaders for the breeds.
• Judicars: Judges and seekers of justice for the breeds within the other courts.
• Prefects: Overseers and seniors. Keep order and tabs on everyone locally.
• Lictors: Guards, constables and breed police.

Lastly are the Elemental Tribes.

• Jarls over the various clans and the Thanes who are Clan leaders by skill, plot, wealth or tradition of each of the Elemental tribes.
• The Reeves - hunters and warriors/ guard.

The tribes: Wood: Favor woodland theme (cloak of leaves w. berry tassels) and favor weapons of wood or green jade. In winter may wear furs. Light or dark hair, sometimes with green tinges. Elders will sometimes have barklike skin on the back or shoulders. Members of this house are lords of the Forests. Lord and Lady of the Trees

• Clan Lempo: This clan most enjoys cultivated plants and trees, fruits and fields.
• Clan Nymphae: darker brown skinned
• Clan Drya:
• Clan Pix: smaller and favor flowers decorations and vine weave

Fire: red or black haired, this house favors flash: glittering gems, flowing silken robes. They like obsidian, red jade and fire forged metals. They may vent steam or smoke. They may become resistant to regular flame, or glow in a halo of light 2 areas around themselves illuminated for a scene. Lord and Lady of the Flame

• Clan Leprech: Flaming red Hair, pale skin and hot tempers, They follow passion & consumption. They are warriors and revelers.
• Clan Gwydd: Orange to magenta colored hair, and red skinned the Gwydd are greedy and full of avarice. They love coin and gems. Trade and Hoarding are their pastimes.
• Clan Salamand: Grey Haired, and light skinned they are the most temperate, but smolder with old grudges.
• Clan Nimro: Black Hair and dark skinned, they are most interested in craft.
  

Water: Typically dressed in fishscale, pearl and little else. They may have blue tints to hair or skin. They favor nets, spears and tridents and blue jade. 1 gossamer and 1 Essence spent to assume liquid form for 1 round. They may breathe water, or swim as a fish, or act as if on land while underwater. Lord and Lady of the Seas

• Clan De-aan: Black hair and pearly white skin
• Clan Triton: Golden maned
• Clan Nix: Black hair and green tinged skin, they dislike other Races.
• Clan Merrow: blue-green haired with touches of scale to the skin in the same shades.
• Clan Undine: white to blonde

Earth: Brown, black or yellow hair. Dressed in metals or armor of carved gemstone and yellow jade. stocky and rough featured. They are hardy and resiliant. Lord and Lady of the Stone

• Clan Hiisi: Blocky heavy build, sandy to dark hair. Ruddy skin
• Clan Wyup
• Clan Drow: white Hair and dark skin verging on black
• Clan Spriggan: white, green and grey shades of hair. Spindly. Craggy featured
• Clan Jotan: This clan are heavier, stockier and generally larger.

Air: Always bestirred by slight currents and gusts, their white, yellow or fawn hair. Diaphinous gowns, flowing robes and gems like stars, with weapons of white jade. Can become light as featherdown - leaping and floating in the air as if flying. Their essence requires them to be outdoors in open air. Lord and Lady of the Air

• Clan Sylph: Yellow haired and fair skinned, Cool and Aloof, they delve deep into Magics
• Clan Awloo: Light fawn hair
• Clan Zyphir; Grey haired with dark skin
• Clan Sprite: Blond to white hair, flighty, distractable and Most interested in Chimerae.

Water and Air Houses may take a skill with Black Jade and the powers of Winter and Ice.
Any one Fae may have a variety of ranks and positions between Tribe, Breed, Seasonal House or Kingdom or may be a Commoner, Pleeb, Timar or Yeoman in some, one or all cases. The other roughly equal levels are
Reeves, Lictors, Kadi, and Marshalls share approximate rank.They are higher than the next set.
Prefects, Judicars, Agha, and Sheriff are also approximately equal.
Judicars, Sudhar and Knights similarly are roughly the same status.
Likewise for Thanes, Praetors, Bey (over the Pasha) and Bannerette or baron.

Culture

Within the Commonwealth the Noble status is recognized across each division of Tribe, House Sultanate and Kingdom (for Sealie ) and Title prefix "ur" for the Unsealie nobles. Breed status is by offices held and are the lowest ranks. Tribe status is marginally better. Typically the Nobles will grant lower titles to offspring or allies and promote those who are useful and effective in securing domains.
From the lower ranks of commons, service or scutage ( coin, chimera, or other goods) payment is made to the next higher rank for protections and aid. This service may involve guarding something, hunting down a threat, chimeric beast or enemy, fetching something lost, legendary or rumored, seeking lost persons or threats from the Dark, or seeking information.
Those who stand out or prove valuable are offered tokens and vassalage which requires showing support for the patron, paying court under the patron and attending trials, attending displays and providing hospitality to allies including invitation to Chimera Feasts and Hunts. The Vassal may borrow relics, service or monies. Those in special favor may be vested under oath of vassalage and granted a Pledge Token: a glove, suit, ring, baton, weapon or other object representing the pact. Those elevated or granted positions will have rights in Free Holds of their tribes, breeds, houses or court. Holds and Chimera being the main modes of restoring magical power. Life in the Commonwealth is a constant shuffling and jostling for rank and position, playing intrigue and influence for each team one is a member of. The Motley eschew the complex roles, ranks and positions, taking one or two or rejecting all as a "commoner". The Dark faction are opposed to all and seek death and destruction - but are tolerated by the Unsealie who believe that only the weak need fear the Dark fae. The Greylords or the Grey Court are impartial on the Sealie and Unsealie. They are only concerned with defense of the realms against the old masters, the Sidereal, and grave threats of the Dark, demonic or other hazards.

Public Agenda

Though the stated goal is a peaceful union of the Fae, it is frequently beset by feud, political jockeying for position, and war between factions.

Mythology & Lore

Having once been under the dominion of the Sidereal, whom some call demons, and they themselves call Gods, and most being able to walk between the mortal world and the Mists of the Dreaming, the fae see themselves as part of a spiritual spectrum. They know the spirits that cross between waking and dreaming, the living mortal world, the spirit umbra and the nightmares that escape the underworld of the dead. For the Fae, Gods are very strong spirits. But not due anything like obedience and worship. They just are. Grandsires and GrandDames slightly removed from the lines of the fae and the ancient alliances with the supreme Elementals and Seasons and the world herself to whom the Fae swore loyalty. The lesser spirit choruses and types have positions as cousins with status above, equal or below them.  Appreciation and recognition, offering and respects owed to dutiful, helpful or important spirits. Vengence and wrath for those who are enemies. But none of the awe that lesser mortals hold for the spiritual entities above or below.

Worship

Fae worship is meditation to restore essence and the rituals and actions associated with the expectations of lords and vassals.

The Rulers of the Sealie and Unsealie are daughters of a Greylord Scion, Pooka Salett Hazethar.  Deladria Hazethar the white wolf, was drawn to the Summer Court and Sealie; while her sister Lisanthe Hazethar greenscale, sought power in the Unsealie. Lisanthe climbed quickly, playing up her Pooka abilities and plotting, while making dramatic overstatements of her might and position that intimidated later rivals when her early attacks showed her cunning and bloodlust. Deladria played factions off one another in her rise, moving to the crown by careful design and playing up her relation to the new Unsealie Queen and a marriage to the Prince. Both Queens quickly settled suggestions that they were cat's paws to their father. Lisanthe is loud, flamboyant, dramatic and completely ruthless. She overthrew and replaced the last king.  Deladria is a cold hunter and trickster who favors baited traps and letting others take their own rope.

The fae love pomp and circumstance, display and drama of status and faction in their multiple courts, houses and tribes. It is only loosely similar to human governments and rulers, as arcane and obscure rules sanction, divide and define duties and rules and jurisdictions of authority and right. The hierarchy of alliance in the Fae tends to run High Court (Sealie, Unsealie, Grey), then Breed (Sidhe, Goblin, etc), tribe and then House (Summer, Winter, Autumn, Spring). However this is not a hard and fast rule. Some put their kinds first, while some are most aligned to their tribal associations first. And the motley chose to discount the higher courts prefering to associate with tribes and breeds and season.
Functioning below the Sealie court crown is the Fae Deliberative: a body made of ministers of the Elemental Tribes. Each Race is allowed 3 representative selected as they please (elected, appointed, by duel or challenge) and representing the elemental associations of each breed. There are of course five potential elemental tribes across the various fae breeds. The Dwarves have a sixth - the Void element and as part of the settlement for the Dwarven rebellion an additional Dwarf Minister of Void was permitted. The minor breeds of Satyr and Maenads also gained single Ministerial positions. The ministers act as advice and consent on the rulings of the Queen and King, and carry out the edicts as well as arrange contests and carry word up from the lower ranks.

Founding Date

Imperial Year 592

Type

Political, Federation

Government System

Monarchy, Crowned Republic

Power Structure

Semi-autonomous area

Currency

The Commonwealth reecognizes the Talent and other Imperial currency.

Major Exports

Fae goods are known to have a touch of magic bestowing superior quality, resilience and resistance to wear. They also make fantasically fine ceramics, woodworks and instuments. The Commonwealth produces the rare Golden spider silk fabric and other silk goods. These goods are much in demand in middle to upper class houses though the empire.

Major Imports

The Fae import jade, food, and various goods. They are fond of herbs, spices and drink.

Related Ethnicities

• The Fae