Rules of the Fey

Centuries of direct overlap and contact with the Feywild has made knowledge of Fey customs and dealings an important point of study of many throughout Raen’dor, especially to adventurers who might come across these sometimes dangerous folk. Those who seek to study and understand the Feywild and its denizens quickly risk being overwhelmed; there are many rules, known and unknown, in the Feywild, most of which are altered by time, place, individuals present, and other situational variables. If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is– the Fey are in many ways complicated by nature, at least in the minds of mortals. However, there are some rules that are common enough that they can be taught to even upcoming adventurers, so that there is at least a base level of understanding and awareness when faced with matters of the Fey.

Before understanding any rules of the Fey, it is important to distinguish between True Fey (fey beings who are native to the Feywild) and Fey-touched (mortal beings who choose to reside in the Feywild, and/or have been influenced by Fey magic. Fey-touched may exhibit behavior related to True Fey (or follow many of their rules simply because they were raised among them), but they are not magically bound by these rules as True Fey. Fey-touched can be quite diverse, but the most common Fey-touched in Raen’dor are: satyrs, centaurs, changelings, eladrin, some firbolgs and harengon, warlocks with Archfey patrons, and clerics or paladins who devote themselves to the Archfey.

The Four Core Rules (that apply to all True Fey):

1. Fey cannot lie. This importantly does not mean that Fey cannot be deceitful; quite the opposite. One of the most common Fey stereotypes is that they are master manipulators, and that there is a trap behind every word they speak. Adventurers can take solace in knowing that a Fey speaks the truth– but they can only be at peace if they learn to correctly decipher the intent behind the words they speak.
2. Their word is bond (and so is yours). Closely tied to the Fey’s inability to lie is their understanding that any agreement made or bargain struck is binding. A Fey will never go back on a deal, and anyone who double-crosses them will earn their hatred (as well as the distrust of other Fey close to the scorned individual). So long as adventurers hold up their end of a bargain, a Fey will always hold up theirs.
3. Everything has a price, and every debt must be repaid. Fey do not believe in gifts; all things are repaid in equal value. Whether this trade happens immediately or in the future is up to the specific Fey or specific deal; what counts as “equal value” is also dependent on the individuals and situation. This makes dealing with Fey extremely risky, and most adventurers are taught to simply not bargain with Fey– or if they must, they should be extremely careful never to give more than they’re willing to lose.
4. Fey are beings of emotion, not morality. The final rule is rather self-explanatory; regardless of a Fey’s appearance, motives, or allegiance, it must be understood that they do not operate using any sort of moral compass. They are creatures ruled by their whims, and will often not understand (or care) about any sort of moral code or law. To Fey, these rules are the only true “laws” that exist; everything else is something that someone else decided, and therefore shouldn’t apply to them. Fey are known to be inherently selfish because of this, and any act that does not appear to benefit a Fey directly should be viewed by adventurers with suspicion.

Any adventurer who understands these four simple facts about the Fey is already more prepared than most to venture into parts of the Feywild or encounter a Fey being.