Fae

The Fae are one of the three sentient races in Erilea and have existed from the dawn of time.

History

“

Long ago, when there was no mortal king on Wendlyn’s throne, the faeries still walked among us. Some were good and fair, some were prone to little mischiefs, and some were fouler and darker than the blackest night. But they were all of them ruled by Maeve and her two sisters, whom they called Mora and Mab. Cunning Mora, who bore the shape of a great hawk, Fair Mab, who bore the shape of a swan. And the dark Maeve, whose wildness could not be contained by any single form.

”

Before the Story

Once extant across the whole world, most Fae in Erilea were exterminated in the King of Adarlan's anti-magic crusade. Long before this, in the time of the Valg wars, the Fae were captured and forced to breed with the otherworldly demons, producing the Ironteeth and Crochan witches. After the first Valg war some of the Fae migrated to the Southern Continent and established bases in the Ruhnn Mountains intended to protect the world against the kharankui, who came through a Wyrdgate opened by Maeve. The Fae also interbred with humans to spread their healing magic—deadly to the Valg—through the population. Those that remained in Erilea helped found Terrasen with Brannon Galathynius and fought in the second war with Erawan.

Queen Maeve offered sanctuary to any Fae who could reach Doranelle, and the Wendlyn population of Fae appears to be stable, although their numbers are somewhat low due to natural conception complications. The Fae of Wendlyn seems to be more warlike than their Erilean cousins.

During the fall of magic, many Fae were trapped in their animal forms. Towards the end of the third Valg war, those Fae that had fled Erilea returned with the Wolf Tribe that had sheltered them all these years and fought against Maeve and her handmaids. After the war ended, they settled down in Terrasen once again.

Fifteen Thousand years in the past, a group of Fae became aligned with foreign beings known as the Asteri, and was then invited by them to come and seattle upon the world of Midgard. Another group of Fae from a different world was also lured into Midgard by the Asteri, soon becoming rivals to them as they assisted the Asteri with their plan to conquer this world. Eventually, the descendants of the Erilean Fae would become known as the Shifter race over the millenia they inhabited Midgard, with the Asteri slowly breeding out the Fae characteristics from them.

Evidence of this is seen where despite moving worlds, the Shifters still keep many traditions, knowledge and culture of their original world alive and practice it in Midgard. This is notablly seen in Lidia Cervos, a Shifter born in Midgard, who is a descendent of Brannon Galathynius and Mala Fire-Bringer, knows of their history and legends and strongly inherited their magic.

Abilities

The Fae are stronger, faster, and more agile than any human, with heightened senses and swift healing. 

The Fae possess a natural affinity for magic, as demonstrated by the higher number of gifted births with larger amounts of magic than humans. A Fae's magic usually manifests itself in an elemental form; ice, fire, wind, darkness, or magic such as oracle sight or healing. Rare among Fae are stranger magic such as Lorcan's magic described as magic of will and death and Fenrys' magic that allows him to "slip between folds in the world" and teleport small distances. Fae usually have the magical ability to transform into another form, that being of an animal of some sort, as seen with Aelin's human form and Rowan's hawk form.

Biology

Physiology

Though essentially humanoid in physical build, the Fae boast an unearthly grace and beauty that enhances their features. They also possess pointed ears and elongated canines.

Demi-Fae tend to inherit this ethereal beauty, but many have human ears and canines.

Reproduction

Common, naturally-occurring fertility problems have prevented the Fae population from growing rapidly.

Fae can reproduce with Fae, humans, Demi-Fae, Valg, and possibly Ironteeth and Crochan witches. It is unknown if the fertility problems that Fae suffer only interfere with conception between two full-blooded Fae or if conception is just as difficult when a Fae is involved with any of the other races.

Settling

All pureblooded Fae and some Demi-Fae go through the Settling - a time when their bodies are attempting to be locked into immortal youth. It is a rough process, their bodies and magic needing months to adjust to the sudden freezing and reordering or their aging process.

• Some Fae lose control of their power during the time, or lose it outright.
• Some Demi-Fae are able to become immortal - Lorcan, Aelin (future) 

This process is extremely stressful and can damage their minds. Some Demi-Fae are unable to become immortal, their long life yielded in cases where (for example) they must live out a mortal life with a mortal mate - e.g. Elena Galathynius, Mab, and Mora. Even true immortality has its limits among the Fae. While the Fae may not grow old after they have Settled after centuries of living, their power may weaken, and they Fade. After Fading, Rowan's parents passed into something called the "void," which may be a Fae concept of the afterlife.

Sociology

Religion

Little is known about the religious practices of the Fae, but beliefs appear to vary throughout the world. In both Wendlyn and Erilea, the Fae celebrate at least one holiday, as evidenced by the Beltane celebration at Mistward Keep and Celaena's reminiscence of Beltane with her family. The Fae seem to have some concept of an afterlife, but exactly what this afterlife is like is unclear.

Mating

A Fae or Demi-Fae may form a mating bond, an unbreakable tie that withstands even death and is more intimate than a simple spousal bond, with another individual. The death of a mate is emotionally harrowing for the remaining partner. Mating bonds can develop between a Fae or Demi-Fae and an individual of another humanoid species and of any gender. It is possible for a Fae or Demi-Fae to have more than one mate throughout their lifetime. The circumstances of the formation of an additional mating bond have yet to be directly addressed in the series.

Males tend to be protective of and "territorial" around their mates, particularly if the mate in question is a female; however, females have been known to display jealous behavior.

Gender and Sexuality

Fae culture holds certain standards regarding gender behavior and interaction between genders.

Known Fae

• Maeve † (only in body. In truth, she is a Valg Queen)
• Mab †
• Mora †
• Brannon Galathynius †
• Endymion Whitethorn
• Sellene Whitethorn
• Rowan Whitethorn
• Aelin Galathynius (Demi-Fae)
• Evalin Ashryver (Demi-Fae) †
• Aedion Ashryver (Demi-Fae)
• Lorcan Salvaterre (Demi-Fae)
• Gavriel †
• Fenrys
• Vaughan
• Connall †
• Cairn †
• Essar
• Remelle

Trivia

• One exception to the rule of immortality is Maeve, who Brannon stated has exceeded even normal immortality. It was unknown if she had used some external means of prolonging her life, until it was revealed that she was actually a Valg Queen, and not really Fae at all.