by Eloy Lasanta (Dark Ages: Fae | Resources)
This article is an explanation of how the different origins exist side by side with each other and even with others of their kind. I hope that these interpretations of the Roles of the Fae help out any new player to Dark Ages: Fae with making fun and creative characters. If you have any comments, questions or whatever you can send me an email at kendril1@gmail.com or take it to the forums. Peace!
The firstborn, often called the true fae, are just that; they were the first to spring from the very Mist itself. They regard themselves as gods, creators of all things animal, vegetable or mineral and many would be hard-pressed to disregard these claims. The history of the fae begins this way, and every fae is taught that the firstborn are to be respected above all others. They are as kings and wield the immense power and legacy of the Great Unleashing.
Even though the original firstborn sprang from the very Mists that created the chaotic world itself, no firstborn has been born that way for as long as memory dictates. New firstborn are either the result of a pairing of two firstborn or the raising of a Sprite into their ranks. Both events are very important to the very workings of fae society.
As many know, marriage is a very important event in a fae’s life. This is even more important to the firstborn, however, as their devotion to propriety shadows those of the other origins. There have been divorces within the firstborn, but both parties involved are often ostracized from fae kingdoms. When a firstborn makes a commitment, they keep it and that is what is expected of them.
The same comes from raising children. Every true fae is expected to continue his or her legacy, no matter how tomboyish or playboy-ish the fae may be. This is for two good reasons. The first is to cement their place in fae society. The firstborn have no plans of being over run by inanimae or changelings, who already outnumber them if combined. The number of other origins grows each day, while the firstborn population suffers. They will avoid becoming the minority by all costs. The second reason involves the feeling each of them that makes them really want to have children. The firstborn believe that the practice of and the feeling about childbirth was stolen from them by the humans and horribly replicated. Yet another thing to distrust humanity for.
When a true fae child is born, there is a huge ceremony among firstborn kingdoms. Each of the lords and ladies visit the realm of the parents and give their own unique blessings upon the newborn. More angelic, good-natured firstborn may give a blessing of beauty or art upon the child, while the more monstrous fae bless him with courage and the ability to learn the crafts of horror and warfare much easier. The ceremony last for the first month of the child’s life, because it takes time for every lord and lady to visit and is the foundation to whether or not the child will be accepted. There are legends of fae who were cursed instead of blessed by their betters. They bore some mark, some taint that called the firstborn of the kingdom to damn the child to a depraved and pitiful existence. Firstborn parents are ashamed, for this is the marking that could deny their child a life within the courts, forcing it to become a Solstice fae.
The other method firstborn are created by is the brining up a Sprite to full-fledged fae-hood. Sprites come from all around and actually are the product of what happens when you spontaneously spring from the Mists nowadays. They come in varying degrees of strength, from a generic low-leveled peon to a being very close to already being firstborn, but that lacks the initial spark of creation – some say divinity.
The cultivation of a Sprite takes time, however. Some need only to exist on their own. They despise any firstborn or inanimae that would claim they are better and survive on their own, just fine. They are able to slowly absorb more and more of the Mists from the area, sometimes even attempting to kill and devour firstborn children, only to drain their souls for the precious power to become one of them.
Although, the most common way for a Sprite to achieve their power is to work under one of the firstborn or inanimae in the hopes that they willing supply the Sprite with the spark needed. This is not an exact science, however. Some masters are easy to please, needing only the Sprite unending devotion and loyalty to prove himself worthy the spark. Other, crueler masters require the blood, sweat and tears of their Sprite for years on end before parting with even a hint of the spark they seek. These lines are usually made when speaking of Courts, yet there are merciless Summer-kin, as well as Winter-kin who don’t necessarily need to take their frustrations out on their Sprites.
The childhood years of a firstborn differ greatly from that of the other origins. The biggest difference stems from their lack of interaction with humanity and their almost forced teachings about respect. The true fae grow up and exist in a highly hierarchical society and are most often the rulers of the faerie kingdoms. This isn’t simply a coincidental phenomenon; it is due to their intense upbringing, raising them to be rulers.
All firstborn are put through schools, being molded into what they are destined to become – or what their parents wish for them. They have little time to run and play, because of their harsh training schedule, teaching them the ways of philosophy, history, Dominions, and knowledge about the other supernatural beings of the world. Instead, these schools provide a ripe source of contacts, allies and oaths that can be cultivated between all of the young firstborn.
While their schooling is severe, nothing goes deeper than their propriety to other firstborn. They are taught from birth that they are the rulers of the Earth, master and creator of all they see. Then they are educated to a simple fact: so is every other firstborn. The young fae are taught respect for their elders and for the ruling court. They are taught that the firstborn are the rulers, but the other origins have their place as well. Some, more liberal houses bring tutors of other origins to speak of their lives, but the more traditional homes simply read stories out of history books.
Their interaction with humanity parallels, even surpasses, their interaction with other origins. While they may not meet another origin until their Fostering – which is a long time – some firstborn don’t see a human until they have finished their Saining and developed their own home. Most courts teach there is no need, until it is time to forge oaths. The humans are only a defense against echoes, after all.
Yes, the true fae may seem arrogant at times and callous at others, but this comes from years of reinforcement of this opinion. Even other fae call the firstborn the true fae, so this must speak of something. They rule because they are raised to and because it is their destiny, the will of the Mists and of their betters. The firstborn fight for their survival and their control of politics and will not be denied their power.
The true fae are first and foremost the leaders of many Oath Circles. Very seldom will one of the firstborn give up their right to rule, even if only over a small group. They are taught the skills of warfare, strategy and battle far beyond what other origins can understand. They have been engrained with the knowledge to administrate and to reign supreme in almost all instances.
But there are other things that color their perspectives on life and all of existence. While they are all raised in roughly the same manner, different courts, different cultures, all proceed with these in different ways. This results with firstborn wielding their power in different ways and having contradictory ruling habits and appearances. Below are a few examples of different types of firstborn and why they end up that way. The brands given are those that have been tainted by human perspective.
Those firstborn that exhibit a surreal and beautiful quality or have such a commanding aura surrounding their very essence usually fall within the category of angelic firstborn. These firstborn are those that have grown up in the system and have benefited from its strong presence in their lives. They are usually rulers of their own realm and are proud contributors to their courts. Because of this, they are often kinder to their underlings, showing more compassion to all.
This kindness even extends to humanity. Angelic firstborn are very much fascinated with humans and their short, pitiful lives, often taking enough interest to interject themselves. Their beauty and charm allow them to easily cajole humanity, as they are seen as angels and saviors of the people. This usually stands as the truth, as the true fae honestly wishes to help, but others use this only as an advantage. Good Oaths are hard to find. Many angelic firstborn create actual cults to worship them. Their glow and apparent good nature, makes it easy to gain respect from humanity, making the church a part of their existence, instead of its bane.
While, the firstborn may display these characteristics that are thought of as “good”, they need not be clichéd. Some are the zenith of selfishness and greed, wanting to keep all that they have worked hard for, while others become devilishly envious, stealing others power for their own. Angelic firstborn are not above the bloody act of outright war; many of them were at the frontline of the War of Seasons, battling for what they thought was right. They are often zealots to their causes.
Other firstborn, who hated the hierarchy system of their upbringing or those who were cursed from birth, usually don’t hide what they are. They are monsters. The category of nightmarish firstborn encompasses a fairly large percentage of the true fae population. Few of them wish to mask any part of themselves, taking pleasure letting everyone know where they stand.
Obviously, these types of creatures are quite frightening to behold and are easily angered or upset. This brings many of these nightmarish firstborn to the Winter Court. This court accepts the fae’s true demon inside, helping to cultivate it into a powerful soldier for the War of Seasons. However, the Winter-kin are far from the only ones that accept nightmarish fae, as all firstborn have their own reason to join each of the courts. Some may join the Summer Court, the extreme opposite of the Winter Court. The Summer Court deals in tradition and loyalty, leading many nightmarish fae to aid them in their effort. They wish to establish their own traditions, such as sacrifices, wars, contests in their name, etc. Those firstborn who are built monstrously witty, but not physically powerful, usually flock to the Autumn Court, putting their nightmarish brain to good use in manipulating humanity and learning their secrets. The Spring Court, which promotes growth and beauty, always find that this comes at a price. A monstrous fae may require the death of children and other atrocities for them to build their luxurious gardens or for them to help humanity prosper.
These firstborn, however, usually end up in one court above any other… the Solstice Court. Especially if they were cursed at their birth ceremonies, the nightmarish firstborn try not to rely too much on others. They become quick outcastes, bringing them closer to their inward darkness, only to be embraced by other outcastes and rejects.
Some firstborn may display the head of a cat, the snout of a wolf or even the tail of a scorpion. This comes from their affinity to animals, or rather the affinity of animals to the fae. To explain this further, you must think about the origin of all life on Earth… the Great Unleashing. The true fae’s simultaneously creative and destructive forces created all creatures on this planet… in the firstborn’s image. So it is not the fae that emulate the wolf’s hearing or the firstborn that duplicates the eagle’s sight. It is these creatures that have received their gifts from the true fae, the true rulers of the world.
These animalistic firstborn resemble the creature that it gave birth to, but to a greater extent. A feline fae may be excessively sexual, bratty and self-centered, but would also be a phenomenal huntress, always on the prowl. On the other hand, a wolf firstborn would exhibit ferociousness that few have seen in this world, but would ally himself with others and be very loyal to his “pack”. The Garou often collaborate with animalistic fae, as they feel most understood by their wild friends.
These firstborn were some of the first to rule as gods, going south to Africa, where humanity understood the firstborn relationship to the beasts that walked the earth. The Egyptian pantheon of gods, including Ra – the eagle-headed god, Thoth – the crane-headed god, and Set – the jackal headed god, are all thought to be firstborn, who forged powerful Gold Oaths with humanity of their country. Even though their power continues to grow, details of these Oaths have been lost, along with a few of the more powerful gods that forged them. Two younger gods, Montu – the hawk-headed god and Sekhmet – lion-headed goddess, have died at the hands of Christian missionaries in the recent decade.
Inanimae are the creatures that spring from creation itself to become powerful rulers, warriors and workers within the fae hierarchy. They are the creators of all the rules of the universe, such as the rising of the tides to the rising and setting of the sun and ride themselves on their connection to the world itself. They are beings of both the physical and magical aspects of the world and have many of their own stories to tell.
Few elder inanimae disagree on the origin of their kind and are the main investigators into the workings of the Mists and the history of the world. In these explorations, they have found that there is a spark of magic, the Mists, inside each fae and they are correlated the differences between each of the origins. Firstborn are two-parts magic, while the inanimae are one-part nature and one-part magic. Changelings are one-part magic and one-part human and this would prove that humanity has some power and has some connection to their kind. Inanimae have found their connection to the world to aid them slightly when it comes to their memory, as well. They work with the world in a way totally alien to the firstborn, which is why they fear their similarities.
There are two methods by which an inanimae can be ultimately created. The first is for the inanimae to simply spring into existence. This does not just happen everyday, not every hour, and not every minute. The phenomenon occurs only when the world experiences natural events. Major earthquakes creating fissures throughout the land, explosive eruptions streaming isles of lava down its mountainside or a devastating whirlpool that drags ships and people to their deep graves would all be examples of episodes where an inanimae may arise. These events guarantee several inanimae to be born, not just one, while just a regular earthquake or minor eruption may only create one.
This happens more often than one would think, which the humans pray to stop. Elder inanimae have even created a new type of astronomy, using cosmology and Gramarye to determine where and when new inanimae will spring and what element they will gain their affinity for. This method of detection has existed since after the Battle of Stone and has helped to incorporate a more cohesive society of inanimae, one that the firstborn fear for its size and loyalty. This has also helped the younger inanimae come into the fold faster, protecting them from predators and enemies of the fae.
The second inanimae creation process is one that has created much shame within the inanimae community and is only known about to a select few unfortunate enough to experience it. If two inanimae of the same base element (fire, water, air, earth, or wood) make love, they can create a spontaneous pregnancy that last but a few days. The child will also be of the same element and won’t differ from other newborn inanimae in any way. But the social ramifications of this practice send shockwaves throughout fae life.
The reason for this is that the inanimae have their spontaneous creation to hold over the firstborn who used to be created in this way. The firstborn no longer can procreate in this manner and must mate and have children, a process they assume the humans stole. However, this is an ability the inanimae never asked for. It may mean an ending in the natural creation of inanimae, as it did for the firstborn, forcing the inanimae to continually mate to keep their origin alive. The very thought of this will create anarchy within the inanimae ranks, which has led to their elders keeping this a tightly held secret. This is the main reason why the courts are strongly in favor of cross-element marriages.
Those involved in the situation are placed into a sort of probationary state. The couple that produced the young inanimae are forever separated, by force or by Dominion, never to feel each other’s touch again. If the couple runs or refuses to divide, one or both of the inanimae are put down. These occurrences are usually explained to other inanimae as the couple “going D&K”, after the legend of Davidian and Kapherah (see DA: Fae Core). The child is sent to a school, and unlike other young inanimae, are not aloud to run around free and unwatched to explore. They are kept and reprogrammed, never to remember their parents.
Sprites cannot experience the existence of the inanimae. They can, however, be fostered by an inanimae and eventually given the spark of divinity needed to ascend to become a firstborn. The true fae, of course, always encourage the inanimae to foster sprites for the glory of their court. They also wish to outnumber the inanimae at all costs and it becomes easier when they help you increase your own numbers. Many inanimae dislike the process, because they are creating a being that was once less than, but ranks higher than an inanimae.
There was a time when the inanimae were secondary to firstborn. They were the footmen, while the firstborn were the generals. They were the peons and servants that pledged their loyalties to true fae rulers. There was no change in this, until after humanity appeared.
The firstborn looked down on inanimae, changelings and humanity, likely grouping them into one big collection of underlings. Inanimae could not own their own realms without prior permission, nor could they hold any prominent positions in any court worth its name. Kings called upon them only if they needed knowledge that they had, only to then toss them to the side when they were done.
This intense superiority complex didn’t help the camaraderie between the two origins. But this was mostly wiped away – although, not completely – when the humans created the great fire that swept the planet, burning all the lands… when the courts were founded. At this point, it was less a war between firstborn, inanimae and changeling, and more about your outlook on humanity, which the inanimae despised for their abuse of their gift to them.
After the great fire, the inanimae still held no major positions within their establishments. They were still second fiddle until the Battle of Ice, when it proved that inanimae were great leaders and strategists. They led troops of changelings at this time, which helped to establish the changelings within the power structure as well.
Although still not precisely equal to the firstborn, they no longer grouped with the other underlings. In many areas, they are not discriminated against, usually based on court. The Spring Court welcomes their inanimae brethren, the common love of spontaneity and change used to accept them into the fold. The world is constantly in transformation; the courts and their prejudices must change with them. The Winter Court accepts any inanimae that can perform their skills for their court to the best of their abilities. Inanimae are not as bad as changelings, after all. The Autumn Court, after getting over their ideas of inanimae inferiority, has found the inanimae to wield considerable strategic wit and interrogations methods. The inanimae’s ability to mold his own mien, gives them an advantage over the firstborn in terms of espionage. The Summer Court is the only court in which the stereotypical low-ranking inanimae has not almost completely stopped. They are hell bent on traditional values and there is nothing more traditional than having the inanimae beneath you.
It is not a surprise that the inanimae’s element has much to do about his attitude toward the world, other fae and humanity as a whole. They separate into 5 element groupings, sometimes called their castes, aspects, or shades, but most commonly, simply their elements. Each caste denotes a certain type of character, adding to their various personalities and appearances.
The inanimae of flame embody certain aspects of the universe. While their elemental aspects are commonly fire, lava, and heat, fire inanimae also personify feelings of command, temperance and battle. In their younger years, many fire inanimae are impossible to control. They followed their whims with ferocity unknown to the other aspects, never wavering, never stopping, until their goal was accomplished. In their adult, courtly lives, they are able to take that excitement and drive, putting it into their lives. Fire inanimae come from a wide gambit of avenues, from generals of vast armies to foot soldiers or revolutionist leaders to simple followers in the crusade against the church. Their convictions are almost never questioned, unless the questioner wishes for a fight.
The element of fire also encompasses inanimae of light. These beings, like other fire inanimae will often glow faintly and give off a bit of heat due to their aspect. Fire inanimae hold enough control of their personal magic to keep everything they tough from melting or catching fire, which dispels many fosterling rumors and playground ribbing.
Many question how in tune the inanimae are with their elements. The greater feature Elemental Immunity allows them to absorb damage from their elements. This is the most common greater feature that inanimae automatically get during creation and is only for them, due to their elemental connection. More info on this and other features in the “Weaving Your Character” article.
Air inanimae have the aspects of wind, smoke, clouds, tornadoes, lightning, etc. They are talkative and very flamboyant. Their opinions rarely stay in one place from debate to debate, leading some to think of them as air-headed. But they are also very creative, because they are not just the aspect of wind, but also of wind instruments. Not just clouds, but the imagination of a child as they look up to guess its shape. They are just as much aspected of the mist above the autumn lake as they are to the beautiful opera voice of the performing maiden. They embody all of the lessons of art and thought, including philosophy and warfare. Many court philosophers disagree with the air inanimae, as their opinions shift so often, but their points are not to be scoffed at.
Along with their expertise in the creative arts, air inanimae have also perfected their mercenary abilities. Their powers to become beings of complete wind, able to enter any crack or crevice, able to enter any man’s lungs to strangle him in the inside. Air inanimae are feared as assassins and paid handsomely for their services.
Earth inanimae yield many different aspects of the land, such as dirt, mud or stone. These inanimae are notorious for their strength in intense wisdom and their love of the land. They rule their lands with an iron fist, letting no Oath go past their view, but they do not refuse any enigma that is put before them. They are master strategist and were the creators of the method used to track down newly born inanimae. Science runs through their veins and they are methodical in their approach to almost any situation.
A new phenomenon has been occurring that lends itself to the theory that the Oath-Truce is destined to end soon. Metallic inanimae have began springing from creation, when before they did not exist among the fae. Many fear the legends of the Sleeping Iron Inanimae that will come and wreak havoc among the kingdoms. The inanimae attempt to hide this rumor, however, also hiding their metallic brethren from fae society at large.
Water inanimae comes in only a few different types, depending on the body of water they spring from and the type of water it is composed of. There are few differences between fresh and salt water, although the keen observer notice that salt-water inanimae are a bit more pessimistic, while fresh water inanimae have a fresher outlook on life. There are also lines drawn between ocean and sea inanimae or pond and lake inanimae. The larger the body of water you sprung from, the more respect you receive from other water inanimae. Water inanimae are regarded for their wisdom. They are cold, calculating beings, usually feeling emotions only when they suit their agendas.
There are two other types of water inanimae that do not reflect water in its natural states. Ice inanimae are very prominent in the northern parts of the land and rule cold kingdoms. They almost always defect to the Winter Court, as their cold interior usually matches their icy exterior. Shadow inanimae also fall under the caste of water. This reflects the shadows of the deep waters, where no light ever reaches. These beings are secretive and silent, masterful assassins.
The inanimae of the wood caste, are known both for their compassion, creativity and their sexuality. They can spring from any type of plant in existence. There are rose or venus flytrap inanimae, as well as oak or pine inanimae. They are some of the most beautiful and healthy inanimae, as befits their element and are known to be advisors in most courts. Their connection and empathy with fae and human alike astounds other fae to no end.
It is important to understand, that wood inanimae are the most numerous of them all. This stems from the sheer number of trees in comparison to all the other castes. There are more trees than mountains, and flowers are more abundant in the world than thunderstorms. Of course, there is speculation regarding the comparative number of water inanimae and why their numbers are severely less.
The half-breeds, composed of both the human spirit and that of the Mist itself, have existed for quite some time. While they have always been a staple to the fae condition, they have not always been so accepted in fae society as they are today. They are the masters of the human world, more knowledgeable than any firstborn or inanimae on the topic, making them invaluable as the War of Seasons reproaches.
Changelings have a large variety of ways that they come into being. Their creation stems from the mixture of the human soul with the Mists the fae know so well, the end result being a creature to truly be reckoned with. But no matter the way they are created, how they perceive the world and how they are raised become their entire being, swaying their choices day to day.
Changelings’ most infamous creation method is the child swap. This entails a firstborn swiping a mortal child away from their mortal mothers in the night, leaving a fae child to take its place. The fae child is shaped in such a way to be indistinguishable, which is why there are an abundance of twin changelings. One is the human child, brought to the world of the fae and tainted (or blessed, depending on your point of view) and the other, the fae child who slowly loses bits of their fae self by growing up human. This can be quite traumatic for the fae child, as they will forever feel like an outcaste, different than everyone else.
The world of the fae can have ravaging effects on any human, not just swapped children. Any men taken from their villages are usually used as hard labor. Although the fae have almost ultimate control over their own private domains, slaves are good for areas of human control. Some lactating mothers are kidnapped by the fae, ripped from their children to breastfeed the firstborn young. These women are given herbs that keep them producing milk for years before they have no more use and are used as simple cleaning or sex slaves.
However, no matter the use for the human, they will always eventually become a changeling. Their human soul adapts to the lands of the fae, absorbing the Mists that they walk through on every errand they run for their masters or surrogate parents. This is an interesting testament to the human soul, as many of the firstborn and inanimae assumed they would crumble under the weight of the Mists.
Although the world of humans can have a similar effect, it isn’t as glamorous as being opened to a new world of magic. Actually, it is quite the opposite. Changelings can sprout from a fae child is introduced into the human world. These lands have no Mists, have no magic, and have no fae spark. The child grows up in a cold, dark, uncaring world, with little to no connection to their parent, and utterly no hope for a prosperous future. Those spawned from the more nightmarish of the firstborn become loners and outcastes, hated by even their own mortal family.
The more compassionate firstborn either protect the child through their life or hire someone else to do it. Inanimae are great protectors as they can often simply pretend to be a family friend, since they have greater control over a human shell. These changelings will often grow up better adjusted to life, as they find those bullies that picked on them stop as soon as their hair starts falling out or the girl who broke their heart become infertile. It seems as if fate watched over them, when it is truly the beings of their fae heritage.
The most atrocious thing is a changeling that takes to life as a human too well. They are accepted into their families with open arms, into their friendships and relationships like gangbusters. Nothing goes wrong for these children and it is with no help from the fae. These are the changelings that will often not awaken to their true forms, some even taking the ‘gift’ of baptism willingly. There are stories of a group of changelings that go through villages seeking out these changelings, those who have turned their backs on their true lives, and murder them in their sleep.
There have been cases where the child has been found out, as their fae natures are often given away even in their mortal mien. In this modern day, they are baptized to kill the stain on their souls. The priests of the nailed god have found the fae out and have pledged to wipe them from the world in the name of the Lord and their strange powers of faith allow them to do it. The actual process of baptism is a frightening one for a changeling, as they feel every bit of their fae selves ripped from their bodies, their souls, their very being. More on Baptism can be found in the “Ties That Bind” article.
Less civilized villages have their own methods. Sometimes they are simply banished, forced to leave the only home they knew, whether or not they actually felt a part of it. They are given very little in the way of food and often end up running with packs of animals, becoming savages who skulk the lands outside their previous homes. These can be the vilest of changelings, since they have a bone to pick with their mortal “family”. Sometimes, these changelings are found by their true fae parentage, but very seldom.
Many are simply put to death. Some stoned to death in the village square, allowing each villager to take their pent up anger and frustration towards the fae out on the changeling. That the fae would dare swap their child for a changeling is despicable, even if they grew to love the fae child. Other forms of death are drowning (and if they survive, then they are truly changelings) or burning at the stake (the fire cleanses their soul). While these may sound very much like the fates of witches, you must understand that the average citizen of the Dark Medieval views very little difference between them.
The changelings worked hard for their first scrap of respect and have struggled diligently to keep it. While it is rare that they become true rulers, they are can become generals, strategists and advisors to the greatest of firstborn kings. Many changelings gain respect through blood alone, but others have much craftier stratagems.
Those that become generals must show great leadership capabilities. They must stay strong, stay cunning and stay loyal to their rulers. They must defeat their enemy, bringing home victory in every turn. They must show that they can do anything that a firstborn or inanimae could do with more precision. It takes time and will to take this route, but it is worth it. Those changelings that serve as general in the armies of the fae are feared for their greatness, as stories of their deed spread through the fae realms.
In these times, right before the lifting of the Oath-Truce, changelings have been the leaders of a new wave of understanding in fae society. The humans have a new weapon, the weaving power of their faith, and the changelings are the key to finding out about this and either cooperating with the humans to stop it or harnessing the power themselves and using it against humanity and each other when the War of Seasons returns.
Depending on how they are raised, the changelings generally grow up with a certain worldview. Their worldview, then, changes to a certain court or agenda, making them strong humanitarians or murderers. Their lives will always reflect their inward struggle of fae vs. humanity, no matter what mask they wear to hide it.
There are those changelings that definitely take to their human natures much stronger than their fae. Sometimes these are the result of swapped fae child who grew up in the home of a nobleman, one that was coddled and spoiled his whole life. There would be no reason to leave their human shell… it is what they know and what they are comfortable with. They are lavished with luxuries most other humans couldn’t imagine. Others may come from humans swapped or kidnapped from their world. Those who have strong willpower will still become a changeling, but will be able to keep that spark of humanity strong.
When confronted with their fae heritage and the true source of their gifts, possibly by their actual parents, they often shun them, holding tightly to their human side. They will speak of visions they have seen and wish for the priests to clear them from their souls. Others, who do accept their true nature, usually use their powers for the good of their village. They will reflect an angelic nature to the common villager - that is, if they are not found out.
Some changelings that are awakened can feel as if they are caught between a rock and a hard place. They often believe themselves part of both worlds and yet detached from both as well. These are quite the enigmatic changelings.
They usually stem from those whose parents are hired to act as their guardians. Old Wives given promises or fulfilling oaths in allegiance to the fae, only to be bogged down with a kid. Sometimes they end up loving the changeling and other times, they are nothing more than a child they are temporarily – say for a decade – watching over.
They could also be slaves to the fae who are just simple servants. They are not glorified as sex slaves or even made to feed the young or care for the prince of the domain. They are labor workers or maids, given no recognition. The realization that they must continue to serve their fae rulers, but that they could never truly be like them can be hard. Most do not get through it, though, committing suicide before they can be forced through another day of mental torture.
Others that have the will to keep themselves in their current existence can be quite the mysterious character. They may be very humanitarian one day and then heartless the next. Changelings will always have that inward struggle, but those trapped between worlds feel it doubly.
The fae-brained changelings are those that make up the largest percentage of their population. They usually come from being raised directly by a firstborn or other fae, but can also come from being a promising slave that picked up on their dominions and ways quickly. The firstborn award ingenuity, even among their slaves – otherwise, Sprites would never rise in status.
Some fae-brained have forgotten all that it means to be human, resembling a firstborn in their alien thoughts, just that they also have a human body. They will seem more like allies than servants, more like equals to the firstborn – well, the inanimate at least. While this can be a blessing sometimes, these types of changelings have little to show for their supposed expertise - humanity. A changeling that knows nothing of humanity is of no practical use for most courts.
