The Fair Folk

The Fair Folk, or tylwyth teg, are what you think of when imagining trickster fairies. They live in the mound and are responsible to no one but The Queen.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Fair folk are humanoid in structure.
Height: The fair folk average four feet tall: the size of a young child. Inside the mound they maintain that height. When outside the mound, their height and mass changes making them under a foot tall and much lighter. The reason for this is that it requires a good deal of magic to maintain their own shape outside the mound. The more magic an individual has, the better they are at maintaining their larger shape. This is one cause of the common saying;

"The taller the fae is, the more mischief they cause." Common saying

Folk with greater magical capabilities are better at adapting to the trials of the upper world and shape-shifting.
Misc: Slender fingers and toes.

Biological Traits

Tylwyth teg average four feet, with males being a few inches taller. Males and females carry out the same roles. Whomever is better in magic spends more time outside the mound.
The low-queen is the only tylwyth teg to have wings. She has the power to see into the otherworld and communicate directly to The Queen of the Fairies. Her magic allows her to see marginally into the future and past. The next low-queen is born twelve years before the death of the current, and is trained under her. She is the most powerful magic carrier in the mound. If a low-queen is born and the death of the current queen is not nigh, the child will be raised to the age of twelve before sent out to start a new mound.
The prince is the most powerful of the male magic users. His magic is always below that of the low-queen. He does not physically differ from the other folk. His position is not challenged, but will be inherited by a stronger born magic user when the child comes of age.

Genetics and Reproduction

The tylwyth teg are capable of reproduction. Fertility rates are very low. Pregnancies last nine months, similar to humans. The infants, however, are terribly ugly and bad tempered. Couples are able to raise their own offspring until the youngun is five years old. After that, the child is integrated into the mound and family contact dissipates. Because of this, it's common for fair folk couples to steal human infants, replacing the human child with their own. These folk left in the upper world are changelings. Human babies are much more lovely and mild tempered and so are favored by fairy couples. When the human child is five, they are often placed in the spinning and weaving rooms because of their small hands and willingness to obey. Once they become too old to work in the mound, they are lead back to the upper world (sometimes their own town, years to decades later) without a memory of the fae. Changeling children can never be true fae again, but are allowed within contact if they're able to find the mound.
The tylwyth teg are also capable of mating with humans. Half-folk born to human mothers are left with them. Half-folk born to fairy mothers are left as changelings because they're often unable to fully integrate to mound life, be that they're too tall or don't posses the magical capabilities needed.

“Aye, you're neither one thing nor yet quite t'other. Pity, but there 'tis.”Eloise Jarvis McGraw, The Moorchild

Growth Rate & Stages

0-5: Raised by parents or in the nursery.
5-12: Work inside the mound at varies chores. Magic training is started.
12-15: Specialized training begins in groups.
15-24: Children are apprenticed to individual mentors.
24-onwards: Folk are considered to be adults. They can continue apprenticeships until they feel ready to leave their mentor. At this age, they appear eighteen by human standards. Aging continues slowly.
180-onwards: Considered elders. Hair pigment fades to silver and white.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Eyes: Their eyes are typically almond shaped. Dim hued in colors consisting of heather, sage, marigold, and storm-grey. Depending on mood, the hue can shift.
Ears: Pointed to round.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Magic: The fair folk are magic. They are born of it. Magic is to them a skill that can be built up with practice and fostering. Unlike human magic users who are Springs, the fair folk don't have a limit to the magic they can use which they posses. They can tire, but magic is like breathing to them, so tiring is not common.
Their magic is illusion based. They can change the appearance of another thing with glamour. They can also blink, making themselves invisible. Throwing sound is also common, as well as magically moving small items.
Harder magic to train in is shape-shifting. It takes years to learn to change one's shape. This practice is used mostly by those who leave the mound. Shape-shifters are powerful and it's advisable to stay on the good side of those who can pass as human.

Civilization and Culture

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Tylwyth teg are hospitable of all species of fairies.
They are however wary of humans. Humans make iron and are prone to warfare. The folk avoid interaction, but take advantage of the human capability of creation. The folk will steal buttons and needles and baked goods. In exchange for a saucer of milk, they will do house-chores.
The fair folk opt to ride small creatures. Corgis are a favorite. Rabbits and sheep are also ridden, but not preferred because of their low intelligence. In exception to the low-queen, the tylwyth teg do not have wings. Therefore they train to ride ravens and birds of prey.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Faerie

Scientific Name

Tylwyth Teg

Lifespan

240 years

Conservation Status

The tylwyth teg, as all other fairies, respond badly to iron. The metal burns their skin and interferes with their magic. As the folk are considered both good and bad luck, humans wishing to keep them away place horseshoes over doorways in order to ward them off.

Average Height

3~4 feet inside the mound ~1 ft outside the mound