Fae

Fae

14 points

Attributes: IQ +1 [20]; HT +1 [10]

Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Elastic Skin (Glamour (Will -5, -5%; Moral (Fae), -20%; -15%) [15]; Unaging [15]; Unusual Background (Soul Broker) [10].

Disadvantages: Dependency (Mana;Very Common; Constantly) [-25];  Impulsiveness (12) [-10]; Sense of Duty (Elemental Realm) [-15]; Truthfulness (6) [-10].

Skills: Philosophy (Fae)
Note: Soul Broker is from How Very Tempting, Pyramid #3/67 Tools of the Trade: Villains

Fae Subtypes

The fae are a highly mutable race and many of the subtypes below amount to professions or roles where the fae changes and adapts itself to a desired purpose.

Common Fae 

All fae are associated with one of the elements, which is reflected in their appearance and personality, even if the elemental powers are undeveloped.Remember that all fae can change their outward appearance at will so below descriptions are in their raw undisguised form.

• Earth: The perfect (or nearly so) balance of Yin and Yang, these are the most emotionally stable and mature of the fae. They tend to appear light brown to gold in skin and hair color. They tend to be strong and enduring in combat and social interaction with strong wills that are hard to persuade.
• Fire: Aggressive and quick to action they tend to be hot tempered. Red hair is typical with red or pale yellow skin. They rely on fast and sure movements.
• Metal: Coldly calculating with sharp wit, they tend to be aloof and very pale with silver hair. In combat they tend to rely on speed and deadly accuracy.
• Water: Black or blue skin and hair, these fae tend to be passive and subtle, avoiding direct conflict where possible these fae should not be underestimated or considered pushovers. They are masters of misdirection and using their foes actions against them.
• Wood: Light brown to green in skin and hair color they value flexibility and adjusting to circumstances but snapping back when pushed too far.
• Void: As far as is known these fae are all extinct, most wiped out in the war that created the blasted land and the rest being picked off or fading away later.

Mature and Noble Fae

Fae struggle against boredom and to establish their role in fae society. As they age and grow in power and mastery of Philosophy (Fae) they adopt and evolve into a specific role that suits their personality and goals. This is an important characteristic to understand about fae, the actions they take and decisions made actually change them and they do not so much as choose a profession as evolve into it. Not all fae take this next step, some are happy never really choosing or evolving but for those who do, some examples are listed below.

• Banshee: Appearing as ghostly women, often at night on the shores of a stream or river they foretell death, especially of famous people who will have many mourners. Their wails can be heard for miles!
• Fomari: These can be any other type of fae but what distinguishes them is they are truly hostile to all life. Generally they are blamed on fae who were driven insane by Corruptors or encounters with powerful Outsiders.
• Hags and Hermits: Appearing as old humans they are reclusive and often disillusioned beings that prefer to be left alone. They tend to be very old and often wise so are sought out for their wisdom and obscure knowledge but they can be dangerous to those who bother them frivolously.
• Iris: These fae specialize in divination and will herald lucky events with rainbows or signal a suitable location for a quest at the end of a rainbow. They are also great for simply announcing and pointing everyone to the nearest party. They are about 3 feet tall.
• Leprechauns: Boot and clothes makers, they are short (3 feet tall) and tend to become very wealthy selling enchanted clothes. This wealth is stored and securely hidden, leading to folklore of capturing one to steal its pot of gold. They favor small clubs when forced to fight but are strong for their size and surprisingly good wrestlers.
• Minotaurs: These fae like to create mazes and riddles to test others mettle. They are fierce warriors but more intelligent then they let on. They are often set to guard castles of more powerful fae (or Grand Dragons), though more powerful ones create their own mazes with its own bait.
• Nymphs: Courtesans, cheerleaders, ladies in waiting, or simply passionate party goers they focus on becoming as alluring as possible. Do not underestimate their cunning and ability to scheme however! Nymphs are often guarding locations and may be called by other more specific names such as Disir (Village), Dryads (Trees), Limoniads (Meadows), Maenads (Lust, Orgy), Nereids (Ocean), Naiads (streams, grottos),  Oreads (Mountains),  Astriads (Stars) 
• Satrys: Primarily male, these are rowdy party goers who prefer heavy drinking and rowdy action to the more sophisticated maneuverings of the royal courts. It is suspected they are responsible for most of the goblins.
• Sith are fae based on animals, the most common are Cu (hound) and cat sith. Add the standard Fae template to the appropriate animal template and boost IQ to 10.
• Vanir are giants but they are able to change their height from very tall humanoids to truly impressive giants, the most powerful of which are said to be a hundred feet tall!
• Will - O - Wisps are diffuse motes of light. They appear as a hex of dancing fireflies, though they can learn to spread out over large areas (Swarm enhancement) or grow in their basic size to cover multiple hexes. They are tricky and deadly pranksters who often lead travelers astray, especially in swamps.
• Goblins are crossbreeds between fae and another species, typically human. They are not trained in the fae philosophy and do not understand what they sense. This tends to drive them a little crazy. Fae who lie can also turn into goblins.

Fae Magic

Fae have an innate connection to a cosmic truth of reality and realize the world around them is really an illusion covering the underlying reality. They can manipulate the perceived reality which grants them extensive illusion type powers. Some can go beyond even that and manipulate reality itself.

This understanding of reality also allows them to learn Thaumaturgy, starting with the element they are born to. They are however unable to learn the other 5 elements. It is said Fae taught humans Thaumaturgy but the humans learned to master multiple elements as they were not innately tied to any.

Moral (Fae) Power Modifier

-20%

You must obey the code of the Fae at all times. What most people think of as reality is really an illusion used to interact and entertain each other. You must tell the truth at all times, though trickery, omission and misleading phrasing are allowed. These are seen as mere illusion and thus a tool of convenience and it is up to the observer to see through to the real truth. However any direct lie causes the immediate loss of your powers.When in doubt make a Philosophy (Fae) roll to determine if your within the lines are not. Any Fae who has lost their powers in this way incurs a -2 reaction penalty from all fae that are aware of it, and its really hard to conceal that transgression. Corruptors and Outsider abilities can counter powers with this modifier.

Notes

Additional glamour based powers are common and may be bought as alternate abilities of each other. These include Chameleon, Illusion, Invisibility, Obscure, Shapeshifting (cosmetic), and Silence.

Additionally, Nobles have Demiurgy from GURPS Powers: The Weird (p. 33) and the other powers in that section are available to any Fae of Status 2+. In fact learning those powers is enough to improve your Status!
UB: Soul Broker allows the fae to trade in souls. The rules for this are in Pyramid #3/67 Tools of The Trade: Villains. This also allows them to use their own souls to empower abilities.

Culture

The home of the fae is another dimension called Otherworld which is as mutable as the fae themselves. Nobles and some others can freely travel between worlds, though most use portals scattered around Chalice World. The five elemental cites each have a major portal but there are minor portals controlled by individual fae hidden in various places, usually remote ones.
Fae do many things to establish personal prestige and power, or just to relieve boredom. They often party and celebrate things but there is always an under current of personal rivalry and scheming. Violent conflicts among fae is rare (except with fomari who are considered enemies) but pecking orders are important and embarrassing your rivals is considered great sport. Physical conflict typically involves wrestling, supernatural conflict a contest of will and illusions (Or contests of counting coup and resolving quests), but social conflict is the highest and most respected method of proving oneself or resolving disputes. Practicing on mortals doesn't usually count but is considered a safe way to hone ones skills.