Ill Met By Gaslight

Faerie Magic

Most of the faerie magic would be Glamours -- something looks like something else, or temporarily changes to be something it's not.

This reminds me of something else -- in their natural state, I don't think any of the Fae, even the nobility, look very normal. Appearances aren't uniform, but the basic rule of thumb for fae in their natural form is that they're clearly CLEARLY not human -- eyes are too big, no whites... mouths are too small, fingers too long, too clawed... whatever it is, it's like starting with human, then distorted. The glamours 'cover' about ... let's say 90% of --

Hmm. Expressing it as Mortal Coil theme document:

• Fae can use magic, but are allergic to Iron.
• Fae are allergic to Iron, but make things normally composed of iron out of other, exotic, materials.
• Fae magic can perform Glamours, but glamours can be dispelled with 'mundane things'. (Salt, iron, running water. It depends.)
• Glamours can conceal the true nature/appearance of a thing (a person, a place), but no matter how good the glamour is, some telltale of the subject's true nature will still show.

That last part means that the nobility wear semi-permanent glamours when in public, makng themselves appear mostly human, but exotically different -- essentially using the 'rules' of glamours to their advantage for Public Relations. For example: Sir Plumfarthing looks like a pale-skinned prettyboy with green/gold eyes, pointed ears, and amazing cheekbones. Without his glamor, his skin is bluish-turquoice and sort of irridescently scaly, like butterfly wings; his eyes are three times 'normal' size and black as oil; and he has antannae growing out of his forehead. Maybe he also has wings. Who knows?

Other random thoughts -- the higher ranked you are in fae society, either Unseelie or Seelie, the better you probably are at magic. The exception to this would be folks living off on their own -- probably they USED to be noble and had a falling out with the powers that be. :)

Faerie Glamours

Okay, here's one for you. Are glamours personally imposed upon the target? Or do they exist independently?

I'd say exist independently, definititely. For a finite and presumably decent amount of time.

When you walk into Winterstone's parlor, and he's not there, do you (well, does anyone) see it as it really is, until Winterstone has had a chance to exude the proper glamour over the place? Or does the place have a glamourous appearance even if you haven't met with the fellow?

The later.

Fae Origins

Where do they appear from? Faerie mounds? Circles? In the midst of cities, or only in the countryside?

I think it would be fun to really play up the 'classics' -- fairie mounds, circles.... trolls under London Bridge... heh.

The whole Seelie/Unseelie dynamic is "standard" enough to need to be addressed. Are they both in play here?

Again, writers don't want to rule anything out right now. So... yes.

Do humans appreciate the difference?

Not commonly, though those in the know might. Some might REALLY understand it, and some (courtiers and politicians) understand it in human politics term, which allows for some understanding, with dangerous gaps.

Is just one faction engaged with the Mundie World?

At this time? Maybe. Might be fun to start with the Seelie and bring in the Unseelie first as 'bad guys' and exploring them as 'other people with problems' later. Both groups have their renegades, after all... and just as in England, lost of 'normal' folks don't really align themselves with one faction or another, unless they HAVE to. :)

Ill Met By Gaslight