Canonfire!

Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:25 am Faerie Mysteries

Hi canonfire folk!

I would like some help with a character concept. My new half elf is originally from Celene, and her greatest passion is elven magic. I have her as an operative of a very secret and very small organisation that seeks out elven magic lost to the world.

Shes a druid for now, aiming for a (reflavoured) Fochluchan Lyrist, because this class just looked like such a good model for an agent seeking out lost lore. I'm looking for:
i) (primarily) any sort of idea about what the faerie mysteries are (I already know about the faerie mysteries initiate feat), and how it differs from standard magic.
ii) any lore on lost grey elven lore in general I could work with
iii) advice on generating my secret celenian order

Thanks!

Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:13 am

I think the Faerie Mysteries are more like the mystery religions of ancient Greece and Rome than magic as such, only dedicated to the gods of the Seelie Court.

Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:32 am

I know I am going to burn in hell for mentioning this Evil Grin

I was looking for similar stuff for my last campaign and was told to look at the FR Elven Court of Cormanthor. Without going into too much detail the elves had akin to 10th level spells, rituals that would make humans turn green with envy

Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:42 am

(Since we're talking about Baalphegor elsewhere . . . )

Rockhaven is henceforth banished to the Ninth Layer of Hell!

Mwahahahahahahahahaha!

(Well, you wished for it! Evil Grin

)

_________________
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Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:52 am

You may like some of the information presented in Thiondar's Legacy from Dungeon Magazine #30. It offers an apocryphal origin of the Grey elven subrace.

SirXaris

Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:55 pm

I'm afraid I am linkless with these suggestions, but have you considered the Shakespearian Fae court for inspiration?
Also, I've come across some amazing stuff in my pagan researches on the way the Fae have been perceived through a number of cultures. In many, the Fae are not a folk to approach lightly. European lore is full of stories of Faerie treachery, tricks and even outright hatred of the "children of Adam".
Even in Cherokee lore, the Stone People exist to help and teach, but also as Tricksters.
There's a TON of lore out there, if you look for it.

Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:33 pm

Here's a link to a free preview of a new product by TPKGames. This preview is a new race fit for PC or NPCs. It is one of the five that will be included in the full product. This one is completely free, though, and may add some uniqueness and mystery to your character's background.

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/110915/Dwellers-in-Dream-Preview%3A-The-Briarborn

SirXaris

Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:17 am

Thanks for all the suggestions and sources guys; I think I'm beggining to get some sort of idea of how it might be; It seems that from how I'm reading it so far, the faerie mysteries and high magic seem to be, on some level, fundamentally different things, though initiates of the mysteries are learned in both.

For the spiritual side, I really like the idea of classical mystery tradition, perhaps informed by druidic (real world) wisdom, and with the Seelie Court (Shakespearesque) and Seldarine as the focii of adoration. I think the manner of such traditions would be by turns high and terrible (ala Galadriel, LOTR, and those kind of old Pre Raphaelite? art works depicting elven ladies with flowing gowns offering jewelled chalices) and light and frolicky (LOTR, the Hobbit, some Greyhawk lore). The nice thing about it being a mystery is that it doesn't really need to be fleshed out any more than this but to say that this is the domain of (Celenian) Divine magic because it deals with fey, nature and the elements.

I'm still a little less sure of the arcane side, except perhaps to say that they tend to focus on enchantment and abjuration. Perhaps there is some equivalent to FR high magic. Some kind of Mythal magic (perhaps renamed) if it is considered the domain of powerful landscape-scale enchantments that anchor enchantment and illusion, perhaps change time passage (only slightly) and affect a permanent twilight where they are active could work.

In my envisionings so far, hierophant druid/enchanterers, aided by priestesses lead the mysteries for initiates. My (reflavoured, but mechanically identical) Fochlucan Lyrists act as agents that wander, often far from Celene. Their principle aims are to uncover lost elven high arcana or relics of the faerie courts and other mysterious, secret agendas as dictated by the Faerie Mysteries, or by Yolande herself.

Such is my interpretation. I'd like to weigh this up against some criticism, if anyone could offer some, in terms of cannon, it would be very interesting and appreciated!

Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:14 am

Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:33 pm

Given the fact that Queen Yolande of Celene "taken a number of consorts to with whom to engage in the Faerie Mysteries," my guess is that some sort of sex ritual may be involved.

Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:06 pm

Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:05 pm

Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:07 pm

Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:35 pm

It sounds like a bit of modern Paganism's "Great Rite" attributed to the Fae.
Interesting...

Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:20 pm

I'd like to know what people think about representing (mechanically) a priestess of the Faerie Mysteries to be as close to practical to canon?

I play 3.5, suggestions are welcome from other editions too, because I can convert!

My thoughts so far on the issue;
I note that Yolande is listed in the Gazeteer as both leader of the Faerie Mysteries, and as IIRC Wiz 16...

A lot of the spells from the druid list seem they might fit the theme, but there are no commune-type spells or anything, and I wonder how an initiate might entreat the honour of the presence of the Seelie Court or the Seldarine.

A cleric might fill the role of priestesses, and perhaps the best option, though I know that many fey are opposed to clerical divine magic.

I'td be great to hear what other people think about this, how they would adress it, or what they were doing if they were using this in their campaign.

Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:42 am

I use a lot of MERP stuff for the elves. It's just too well-done to pass up. In particular, there are about 4 source books on the elves. One on Lorien, one on Rivendell, one on the Woodland Realm, and one on Elves in general. There is so much excellent info there, that you can really flesh out the elves without too much work.

Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:51 am

Sounds like an intriguing idea, thanks for the tip. Are these books easily accessible?

Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:12 pm

Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:47 pm

It's in the LGG, in the section on Celene's history. She did this after the Prince Consort was killed and the Hateful Wars were over. It says a series of consorts, so I wouldn't assume she was juggling a bunch at once. The feats were written after the LGG, and by Erik, so no telling if he was playing on something someone else wrote or what. Either Erik or Gary might be able to elaborate.