The oldest faeries claim to remember the birth of the sun, but really only emerged from the Earth's molten core when plants began to cover the surface. The fae are immortal, though as Titania wryly remarked in Sirens Unbound, immortal does not mean "unkillable." However, the fae don't die, with souls crossing into the hereafter. Instead, they fade into the Earth itself. There are many different species of fae, including seelie, nymphs, bolotniks, nõiamoors,
vilas, woodwives, frog princes, moss folk, will o' the wisps, leshiye, dryads, and more.
Iron is highly toxic to fae, but some species are more sensitive than others. Dryads and nymphs can be stricken by small amounts of iron, while bolotniks are more resistant. When iron stayed in the ground, the Earth provided some natural protection to the fae, but when humans began to mine and use iron, the fae began to sicken. But for the intervention of the great mage Aphrodite in 350 B.C.E., most scholars believe the fae would have faded away completely.
The fae now live in preserves of varying size, with solitary fae in small parks, and larger fae nations in vast territories. The largest fae nation is ruled by the seelie lord, Num, assisted by his brother, Nga, in the Taiga of Eastern Europe. The Taiga is believed to be the cradle of fae civilization, with large populations of fae migrating into Asia and the Americas. During the Pre-Hispanic period, the seelie lord, Penthesilea and her flock expanded into the Amazon rainforest, and now comprise the second-largest fae nation. Other sizeable fae populations can be found in China and North America, as well as numerous smaller flocks throughout South America and Western Europe.
The fae's connection to the Earth is essential. Take a faerie too far from the Earth's surface, and they will fade. The sirens have assisted the fae in migrating across the oceans, sustaining them with siren magick during the crossings. Nevertheless, such relocations remain highly dangerous and are only attempted out of great necessity. Deserts, devoid of vegetation, are passable for the fae, but uncomfortable for any but the vila - which is the main reason the fae have not expanded deeply into Africa and the Middle East.
Healthy fae can cross-procreate with all living things, though changelings are almost always human-fae cross-breeds. Some changelings share a greater portion of fae magick than others. Those with sufficient magick to survive with their fae parent are typically raised in fae territories. While the fae are immortal, changelings are mortal.
Faerie magick is drawn from nature, from the Earth itself. The fae do not need to see in order to cast spells - their magical perception is holistically linked to their physical bodies. Some fae experience magick as sight, like mages, but often it is more a physical touch, audible sensation or taste. The fae cast spells through the extension of their senses and their connection to the earth.
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Only very skilled enchanters
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Beset by Asian mages intent on conquering South America, Chía cast the were-construct spell, building the were-jaguars and were-wolves through the forced sacrifice of his captured mage enemies.
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