Fae

Fae fall into several different categories in this world. There are the general fae, the type you may imagine when you think of fae. They can have wings, and have pointed ears. Their eyes are solid black, but they can glamour themselves to look like humans with ease and have powerful, wicked magic that can outrank any mage with ease. They're not joking if someone tells you that fae magic is the strongest out there. It honestly is. They're known for being tricksters, have a penchant for fooling humans, and without expending a lot of energies, they cannot tell lies. It is their one bane, and they have to become very skilled at telling untruths. However, there are other creatures that fall under the umbrella of fae in this universe. They share the ability for powerful magic and glamour, but have different appearances and may have differing abilities and cultures.

The fae are ruled by The Court, run by a single fae and a panel of advisors, though they're not particularly well known for keeping the fae in check and mostly just are there for the tradition of things.

Fae can live for hundreds of years. They do struggle in urban areas because smog and especially iron are particularly harmful. Some changelings learn of their heritage only because of adverse affects due to smoking and piercings. Some fae continue to smoke and wear piercings despite scarring and illness anyway. They can be killed in the same ways humans can.

Changelings

When a human child is abducted by fae for nefarious purposes, a fae child is left in their place to be raised by the humans. Those fae are called changelings. They may go most of their lives without knowing they are fae, until some kind of traumatic event or other method of being informed by the fae causes their galmour to wear off. Ostracized by fae and never feeling like they fit in with humans, they often end up stuck somewhere in the middle, never living in either community and instead striking out on their own or living with other outcasts.

Gargoyles

Gargoyles are living statues & sculptures. They can take any shape but often are those of monsters. While they can and do move just as well as any other human or creature, their fur, hair, or flesh is always solid and cool to the touch. They never sleep, often are employed as guards for their inconspicuous appearance, and are most active during the night when humans are asleep for obvious reasons. Due to the nature of their existence as living constructs, though they can glamour themselves to appear human, even when appearing as such, touching them will reveal they still feel as solid as stone. They can still feel with just as much sensation as before, though admittedly it feels strange. Trolls exposed to sunlight or beings turned to stone by gorgons can become gargoyles in a fae ritual.

Gorgons

Gorgons are fae who appear human but whose hair is made from living snakes. This can, of course, be glamored away, and due to the upkeep the snakes require most gorgons choose to love full time with average hair. Additionally, gorgons by nature have brilliantly golden eyes that turn any living creature who looks upon their face to stone. A glamour can change their eyes so that this doesn't happen. Any being turned to stone by a gorgon can potentially become a gargoyle via a fae ritual.

Trolls

Trolls are fae with large tusks protruding from their mouths. Historically they have been more well known for working than goofing off like other fae and have a reputation for being great builders and architects. They often live under ground, under bridges, in caves, in clock towers, and in other dark places, because if exposed to sunlight, they will turn to stone. A troll who has turned to stone can become a gargoyle through a fae ritual.

Kelpies

Kelpies are shapeshifting fae who mainly take the form of a horse, and they live at the bottom of bodies of water. They are a particularly merciless form of fae, known for preying on innocent swimmers and dragging them down to the depths of the ocean, keeping them company until they drown when they inevitably eat their corpses or allow them to float back to the surface. Kelpies cannot leave water for more than a few days at a time.

Merfolk

Like kelpies, these fae also live in bodies of water, but they are not so cruel. They too can shapeshift, between human forms and something more vaguely fish or eel like. Fortunately, they don't have as much of a reputation for murdering humans. Merfolk can easily shift between water and land for as long as they wish so long as they have access to a bath tub or pool for a quick dip to stay hydrated.

The Court

Fae have a Court, that is considered royalty only really in name. It is not passed on by blood but rather by fight, and by fight rather by trickery. It changes hands usually only every few hundred years, but lately there have been stirring rumors more frequently. The Court is made up of one Ruler and a panel of five Advisors who are hand picked by the Ruler. Some Rulers pick Advisors based on loyalty, others based on whim. Most Rulers don't do much to uphold the law, but rather do whatever they want for their own entertainment. After all, what really is law in the land of the fae? There is only one law here, and that is don't kill other fvae, and even that is a very loose law up for interpretation. Currently, there is no Ruler! The last one accidentally poisoned herself, and her Advisors have yet to choose a replacement. There hasn't been a suicide or accidental death in millenia so no one's quite sure how to proceed.

Notable Character Canons

Campbell Partanen is an Advisor to the Court who was a fae turned to stone during a conspiracy & "accident" that led to their Gorgon girlfriend's glamor failing. For some reason, their fellow Advisors thought it appropriate to bring them back as a Gargoyle via the ritual and they are still trying to figure out why.