Courts of the Fey

The two Fey courts are really opposite sides of the same coin, with the malleable nature of the fey and their connection to the changing seasons having different aspects of the same fey beings becoming dominant depending on which court is in the ascendancy. During spring and summer months in The Feywild, the Hallowed Throne holds sway, while in autumn and winter the Zephyr Throne rides in its annual hunt. The nature of time in the The Feywild and its uncertain connections to the material world means that when the current iteration of the court emerges onto Valine, as it is wont to do from time to time, it may not match with the season in the location that they appear. Over time, the court would adjust to their surroundings, but rarely do they stay long enough outside The Feywild long enough for this to take place.
The Hallowed Throne are virtuous and generous, yet dangerous to encounter. Mortal beings that encounter the Hallowed Throne are often compelled to follow them back to The Feywild, often never to be heard of again. There is no malice behind such abductions, simply the fascination of the fey with the humanoids of Valine and the desire to know more of them.
Encountering the Zephyr Throne on the other hand is almost certainly tantamount to a death sentence. A mortal who stumbles upon the Zephyr Throne should appeal to the gods that they go unnoticed, lest they become prey rather than performing prayer. Once noticed by the Zephyr Throne, a being is likely to be hunted and ridden down, then the details of the being's hopes and fears pulled from them before the Zephyr Throne descends on their home to torment their loved ones. The lucky may be pulled back to The Feywild to serve the court. Others can look forward only to torment before a painful death until the Zephyr Throne tires of the sport and returns to The Feywild.
The organization of the courts is a tangled web of favors, agreements, wagers and whims of the fey. Certain personalities may lead the courts at any given time but penetrating the reasoning behind it seems beyond even the most canny scholars on Valine. Even Feytouched who have spent most of their lives in The Feywild are unable to clearly explain it. However, the current personality leading either the Hallowed or Zephyr Throne may mean the difference between surviving an encounter with the Courts, in whatever form that might take, and total obliteration. Furthermore the title as interpreted by the being that holds it may alter the behavior of both that leader and the entire court behind them. Leading the courts might be the Defiler of Epochs, the Eternal Observer, the Shadow Stranger, the Dark Angel, the Sinning Prophet, the Swift Vision, the Arcane Guard, the Reckless Bee, or Stormhallow. Others may exist, but remain unknown to Valinian scholars.

Type

Court, Royal

Location

The Feywild