The Faerie Mound

The woods really are lovely, dark and deep… Just be careful where you tread, especially when it comes to the mound. All word of rumor of the dark and deadly things that happen in this place are not even marginally exaggerated - not a word of it a lie.

While on the outside, the mound looks beautiful, even the most beautiful of roses can make you bleed out from its thorns.

The mound is primarily home to the fae, who are split into four main categories. Seelie, Unseelie, Sluaugh and the underfae who all have their own main ‘area’ of the expansive mound.

Though to call it a mound is to do the large place a true injustice.

The true way to explain the fae mound, would be to express it as it truly is. The faerie mound is a gateway or a portal, to what one could only explain as another dimension, or world. It isn’t as big as one would expect an entire world to be, but that is what it is.

Each district is as big as one of the human cities, if not one of the upper sanctuaries all on its own.

An easy word of warning to anyone visiting the mound; if you wish to stay alive, don’t go near the Sluaugh unless you know what you’re getting yourself into. And just because the fae are not known to lie, does not mean that they won’t creatively bend the truth in such a way that it might as well be a lie.

Just because the Seelie are light, does not make them good. Just because the Unseelie are dark, does not make them evil. Remember this, and watch your back carefully. These people are not known to go easy on their prey. If they do not wish for you to leave the forests of their mound, you will not leave.

As you first enter the portal, it is to quite a beautiful sight. Beautiful vined archways, forest for miles. The pathway follows deeper into the Mound, before leading down four separate paths. Ominous? Of course. It is the best protected Sanctuary for a reason. It is a pocket dimension, but also a labyrinth in and of itself. Enchanted by the fae so that if you are not one designed to be there, or one guided by their guards, you will end up lost and dying in the maze.

Each path winds deeper, heading to one corner of the realm. Rather convenient, no?

The paths around the realm lead to multiple dead ends, beautiful hot springs, clearings.. Deeper into the forest, to caverns and to all manner of scary deep dark hole. If you don’t know where you’re going, it is better not to travel without an aide. Unless you want to end up in a shallow grave.

'''Seelie

The Fairlight Court.'''

One would expect in a wooden, terraced world that the appearance of the seelie fae’s residence would fit in. Well, it does. But it doesn’t at the same time. The entrance to the court is beautiful. A curves, vined archway with beautiful flowers in some degree of bloom. The archway seems to shift depending on the height of those who walk through it.

Once you get through the archway, you are greeted by a cobbled, circular clearing that leads up to the doors of a coloured glass doorway - whatever lies behind it obscured by the vinery that encloses the courtyard, other than the beautiful sky above.

Once you make your way through the entrance, you are greeted with a rather wide, open courtyard. At the far end, the vines seem to curl, spin and form in on each other until you can see where sits a throne. Well, two thrones and multiple places for others to sit.

Off to the right of the courtyard is a door that once opened, opens into a marbelled .. well, one could only call it what one would expect the Seelie mound to be. White marble walkways that stretch on for miles. Kitchen, living spaces, a more general ‘common area’ and tavern, as well as the chambers for those of higher power. All have their own pathways, all have their own purpose.

Deep into the seelie’s part of the mound, there are beautiful waterfalls, springs, natural little ‘clearings’ and hidden alcoves that one could only dream of. Truly, the most beautiful of places. Pools of water, lakes, it stretches for miles.

'''Unseelie.

The Midnight Court. '''

About what you would expect, really.

It mirrors the seelie court almost exactly, except… well… much darker. The forest is darker. Trees are darker and thorned, with black and red roses. The path beneath is made of black stone, the way lit rather mysteriously by what appears to be fireflies, but nobody is really all that sure what exactly it is. Perhaps the souls of the poor tortured individuals who never managed to escape the grasp of the unseelie sidhe?

Once you get into the general ‘court’ of the unseelie, it yet again mirrors the seelie although this time in dark purple and black marble, light coming from lanterns high in the walls that never seem to need to be re-lit.

Such mysterious lands, the seelie lands.

Armouries… dungeons.. Little corners where the screams of poor victims are more than easily heard. Little hidden alcoves of beautiful flowers and even more beautiful people… the ‘ballroom’ or courtyard for the unseelie only holds one throne, with space around it for others.

Given there has only been an unseelie queen for longer than anyone can guess, that would make sense.

All common living areas, a mess hall, living quarters, all in the same general ‘design’. They really need to get out more.

The unseelie side of things is much more ‘underground’. Caverns, springs, all deeper into the mound than the seelie it would seem, and there is always something ominous not far behind you… or at least, that’s how it feels.

Sluaugh

Have you ever heard of the wild hunt? All the scary nightmares that nobody lays claim to, that nobody truly wishes to know about but exist beneath the surface of the world.

The Sluaugh are found through the tunnels deep within the unseelie part of the mound, the sounds of skittering and screams much more prevalent deep within these lands. The light coming from here is much less prevalent, a hell of a lot more darkness.

All the nightmares that you’re scared of as a child? They’re down here.

The woods really are lovely, dark, and deep… or are they…? Sound more horrifying than anything.

'''Underfae

The ‘lesser’ creatures.'''

Those that aren’t good enough to be either unseelie or seelie sidhe, those who never really ‘belonged’ but weren’t enough to fit in with those of true darkness. Their ‘home’ is much like a series of tree huts, branching off from where the seelie call their home. Curling all the way up on the inner side of the mound, there are little ‘homes’, camps, traders, people cooking from various little alcoves, those with all manner of goods… drugs… you name it, it is likely here.

All the weird, the wonderful… people dancing by in all manner of finery, people performing all manner of magics…

I wouldn’t attempt to cause any form of chaos here. It is strictly against the rules, and will be very well enforced by the Twilight Guard.

Who are the Twilight Guard, you would ask?

The Twilight Guard

Only the best of the best. Those of the highest esteem from the seelie and unseelie court both call the Twilight Guard their home, although in very different places. Of course. They couldn’t associate too closely, that would be most unsightly.

These are the absolute best. Fighters, diplomats, people of absolutely terrifying levels of power. They number upwards from fifty to one hundred, nobody truly knows. Nobility seems to have their own ‘keepers’, as well as those who walk the halls of both Courts.

They are more than easy to distinguish.

Those of the Midnight Court wear a deep crimson sash and tend to have a band of crimson across their faces in some manner to easily distinguish them.

Those of the Fairlight court, on the other hand, tend to wear lighter colours and are easily distinguished by the gold sash they wear, as well as a golden band across their faces.

They are easy to spot. Beautiful armor, beautiful way of carrying themselves. Don’t cross them, I doubt you would survive it.