Fey Trickery

Fey Trickery

The Fey are notorious for their cunning, their clever manipulation of rules, and their complex, often dangerous, bargains. Navigating dealings with the Fey requires a sharp mind and a strong understanding of their tricks. Below are some general tips and insights into Fey tricks.

General Tips

• Fey cannot lie. However, they have mastered the art of not lying well, which means they can still deceive or mislead. Never fully trust what a Fey says, even if it’s technically true.
• Never lie to a Fey. They can detect lies instantly. If you break the rules, especially hospitality, you lose all protections against them.
• Fey always follow bargains to the letter. While they are bound to their word, they often twist the terms to their advantage.
• Never break a bargain with the Fey. They will exact their price by any means necessary, often taking something of great value.
• Do not accept gifts or food from the Fey. This creates a bond of obligation, and you may unknowingly owe them something significant.
• Never thank a Fey. It implies a debt, and you do not want to be indebted to the Fey.

Sealing a Bargain

Once a verbal agreement is reached between a mortal and a Fey, the Fey presents an object, kiss, or token to symbolize the sealing of the contract. From that moment forward, both parties are bound by the terms of the deal.

Contract Forms

Fey contracts can take many forms. Here are some common symbols of a sealed Fey contract:

1. A single sparkling or glowing rose
2. A ring of twisted gold and silver
3. A sword covered in fine inscriptions
4. The preserved head of the mortal’s ancestor
5. A painting or tapestry of the mortal
6. A kiss (on the hand, forehead, or lips)
7. A songbird in a cage
8. A chalice with finely-worked pictures or inscriptions

Consequences of Breaking a Contract

In the Feywild, contracts are more than just words—they are bound by powerful, magical forces. Breaking a contract with a Fey has dire consequences, often worse than death. Some fey, like Baba Yaga, are notorious for crafting contracts that are impossible to keep or that lead mortals into inevitable failure. Below are some of the possible consequences:

• Imprisonment: Just as Baba Yaga traps spirits in Weeping Willows, other Fey may imprison the soul or body of a contract-breaker, trapping them in objects, trees, or even their own nightmares for eternity.
• Eternal servitude: Many mortals who break a contract are cursed to serve the Fey for all eternity, becoming shadowy servants or bound in spectral form to do the Fey's bidding forever.
• Loss of memories: Fey can erase the memories of the one who breaks the contract, making them forget their loved ones, their purpose, or even their own identity. In the Feywild, forgetting who you are is as bad as being dead.
• Transformation: Breaking a contract can result in a permanent transformation. A mortal might be turned into a beast, a stone statue, or some hideous creature that reflects the nature of their betrayal.
• Fey Wrath: The Feywild may itself rise against those who break their word. Cursed winds may follow them, strange creatures may hunt them down, or the land itself may turn hostile, ensuring they never find peace.
• Losing Something Precious: Sometimes, rather than imprisonment, the Fey may simply take something of great value from the contract-breaker—a child, a memory, a talent—something irreplaceable and deeply personal.

The Fey treat contracts as sacred, and the consequences for breaking one are severe. While some outcomes can be creatively cruel, the one universal truth is that the Fey will always collect what they are owed.