Origin of the Fae

Faerie

Before the Rift (a millennium or so ago), Faerie was one, whole.

Now there's the Seelie Realm (Avalon), Borderlands within the human world (though humans are smart enough to stay away from what belongs to the Fae) where Solitary Fae live at a price (a Tithe is paid every seven years to either the Seelie Queen or the Unseelie King), the Unseelie Realm with the Dark King's castle in the middle of it all, the Wildwood that connects everything and where magic is unpredictable, and the Sea of Discord which divides all realms.

Though Faery Circles and Faery Rings are quite capable of taking the user to where they wish to go within the realms, some still use the old passages between realms (though only the foolish or desperate do so). The old passages were created before the Rift and are no longer uninhabited or reliable.

Balance no longer exists in Faerie. After the Rift, the light no longer tempers the darkness in the Unseelie Fae and the Seelie no longer appreciates the light, for there is no darkness in their world (they no longer realise when they are being cruel or callous).

Some Fae have escaped to magical parts of the human realm – places touched by Faerie during the Rift – and made homes there. Usually this dwelling is disguised as a small hill or something uninteresting and best avoided (like a burial mound).

Though scattered, all Fae are still ruled by the Seelie Queen (Faery Queen) and the Unseelie King (Dark King). Whether that's by doing the Court's bidding outside of the seat of power (Seelie Realm/Unseelie Realm) or by paying a Tithe for Court privileges (like living on Court land, under the protection of that Court).

The Fae who choose to have nothing to do with the Courts have a hard life. They either live in the untamed wilderness (the Wildwood or the Sea of Discord) and go mad, or on Court land as prey, or in the Mortal Realm, cut off from their magic. (Only the two Fae monarchs, the Assassin, the King of the Dead and Cù Sìth can command the Mist. Everyone else have to draw and store Glamour from the Mist for their own use – and they can only do that in places where magic is strong.)

Time runs differently in Faerie than in the Mortal Realm. Hours there can be weeks in the human world.

Humans shouldn't eat food from Faerie: once they do, they belong to the Fae. Only the one who offered the food can break the spell. And usually they don't: Fae love mortal playthings. Also, Faerie food holds an enchantment that makes food from the Mortal Realm unpalatable to humans, causing an addiction to Faerie food. (You've been warned: don't take sweets/fruits/cakes/drinks or anything else a stranger offers you.)

Making deals with the fair folk from Faerie invariably leads to trouble. Rumpelstiltskin isn't the only Fae who collects debts, he's just the most notorious.

Faerie changes to suit the will of the Faery Queen. Her power is strongest in Avalon.

The Dark King prefers to toy with perception and light/dark (illumination or lack thereof) around him.

To enter the land of the Fae (Faerie) is to give up all power of where you are and what you see/hear/feel/smell/taste.

You can read about the home of the Fae in most all of my stories here on Wattpad.

*Thank you for reading. I hope you've found this informative. Don't hesitate to comment and vote. For more, go to my blog Ronel the Mythmaker and learn all you can about these fascinating creatures.*