curatedfaetes

[curatedfaetes]

Hey y’all,

School is rough. Still on hiatus. Be back ASAP.

xoxo,

Zee

[curatedfaetes]

Glitz & Glam || Camille, Cutler, Dave, Erin, Evelyn, Jasmine, Leah, Nate, Nell, & Oz

TIMING: Tonight  PARTIES: @carrionxcamille @clarkesconvenience @seizethecarpe @corpse–diem @thronesofshadows @halequeenjas @nate-santos @nelllraiser @curatedfaetes SUMMARY: Just some mostly harmless fun celebrating Jasmine’s birthday. 

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[curatedfaetes]

Brand Identity || Solo

TIMING: Present LOCATION: Somewhere in the mountains. SUMMARY: Oz finds his target. WARNINGS: Torture.

Osric was never more disappointed than when one of their own kind sold them out. 

The moon rose high above the forest clearing, a few days past full. The natural waterfall that fed this lovely little river gurgled in the background, a decent muffler for the night’s events. In the night’s calm light, Oz had noticed the microexpression flicker across his target’s face before it’d gone still. Shock, and vague disgust. Ah, well. Other fae tried their best to be shrewd, but spriggans were a touch more impulsive than his more elegant brethren. Remorse was so rare in their kind, stealing close to breathing for them, that Oz had learned not to bother expecting it.

He pressed the heel of his shoe down firmly on the spriggan’s windpipe, a warning should the spriggan attempt a struggle. Its own limited abilities were as good as null here at the edge of the water, where Oz was near-drunk on power. But it never hurt to remind someone of the precarious position they were in. 

For Oz’s part, this transaction was as good as complete. Confirming the find was the real bitch of it all. Would he be able to get at his databases, out here in the middle of nowhere? Sighing, he pulled off one of his leather gloves, fishing his phone out of his pocket. No such luck. He thought back to his notes, humming a bit of a human pop song under his breath. Whistle while you work and all.

“Ah,” he murmured. “Right.” Oz pulled his glove back on and leaned down, replacing his foot with one coiled hand. His fingers twitched, eager to bring an end to the fae the best way he knew how. But he needed it for a few moments longer. The water was so, so close. The box enclosing the artifact had fallen into the shallows. Oz plucked it up, wrenching it open easily.

At first, when he’d been searching for it, he’d thought it strange, for a fae artifact to be so… so cold. But the amulet itself wasn’t very old at all. Likely, a human had seen the smooth stone, Oz’s true goal, and thought to enclose it in its current prison. Oz couldn’t help but think it looked tacky, beyond the offense the iron caused him, personally. Even by human standards, the amulet was simply ugly. No accounting for taste, he supposed.

“Alright, wake up,” Oz said, dragging the spriggan’s body into the shallows. “C’mon. I don’t have all night.” Sensing, perhaps, that the danger had grown, the spriggan tried to croak out a word, a muted struggle against the power of Oz’s hand. “Jeez, dude. I don’t have to kill you here, you know. Besides, if that was my intention, you’d be dead already.”

He hummed, dangling the amulet by its chain over the spriggan’s chest. “I could confirm that this is, in fact, what I’m looking for by testing it on myself, but that sounds pretty damn painful. I mean, ugh, iron, right? Not fun for either of us.” Oz pulled it up, almost like a yo-yo, clasping it hard in his fist. His anger threatened to simmer out, but this wasn’t cruelty. It was a lesson. Oz could resist. “But I’ll cut you a deal, I’ll even make it a promise,” he said.

The spriggan huffed at him, petulantly refusing to speak. “It holds more power if you agree, you know that, right? Otherwise, who knows what I might do.” Oz let the amulet drop again, close to the hollow of the spriggan’s neck. The spriggan tensed under Oz’s hand. “Calm down, my thieving friend. I wouldn’t endanger your ability to blend in like that.” A momentary relaxation, before the spriggan lifted a hand slowly to tap at Oz’s. The nix let his grip loosen, just enough.

“What… do you want?” it gasped out. “You have what you came for, right? Just… Just leave me. I won’t do nothin’ else, honest.”

Oz laughed, a cold sound in the relative quiet. “See, somehow, I doubt that. In fact, I’m no seer, but I have a feeling you and I will be right back here, sooner or later. And next time, I won’t be quite so generous.” Oz let that sink in. “What I want, beyond this trinket, is insurance. A reminder for you to be more careful with what you pick up. I can’t go against your nature, obviously. You’ll steal and steal again. But next time, you’ll make sure you’re only stealing from humans. Do you understand?”

“A promise, then?” Another fraction of relaxation. But no. Not enough.

“Wouldn’t mean much if it’s a simple promise, now would it? Then you can’t disobey. Least, not without a lot of pain. No, I like autonomy, myself. For our kind, at least. We’re no better than the humans if we bind each other up, are we?” Oz rolled his shoulder back, amulet back to his gloved palm. “I’ll give you a promise on my end. As long as we don’t meet here again, like this, I promise I won’t seek you out. You can go about your business. I’ll even forget your face. Does that sound alright with you? Say it out loud.”

The spriggan was fidgety now, freedom so close on its lips. “Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. I accept, let the deal be made, what the fuck ever. Can I go now?”

“Okay, good,” Oz said brightly, a smile wide on his lips. He wondered how he looked, from down there. If he looked at all like the predator he knew he could be. “But, damn, if I’ll forget your face once I let you go, I think I’ll need another way to know it’s you, right? Now, how might I do that?” 

The amulet hung like a guillotine over the spriggan’s sternum. The spriggan started struggling, its mind turning over the admittedly limited possibilities. Huh. Smarter than Oz gave it credit for. It started talking: “This wasn’t part of th—”

“Shut up,” Oz said, cutting it off. He shoved the amulet down, between the gaps in the spriggan’s button down, scalding, cold iron to the ridges of the spriggan’s rib cage. A brand, its own promise on the spriggan’s skin.

The waterfall might not hide that scream as well as Oz’d thought.

So disappointing.

[curatedfaetes]

[curatedfaetes]

NAME: Nix/Nokk (pl: Nixies/Nokken)

ALSO KNOWN AS: Neck (Male), Nyx (Female)

RARITY: ★★★☆☆

LIFESPAN: 150-200 years

ORIGIN: The nix, or nokk (for males) can be found in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore. In some stories they are harmless fae who play musical instruments to entertain passing humans, while in others they are malevolent and purposely lure humans to their watery graves. They’re often compared to mermaids, but their reputation is far more vicious.

DESCRIPTION: Nixies are a type of shapeshifting nymph found in rivers, lakes, ponds, wells, or other bodies of freshwater. Some nixies are mostly harmless, but they can become problematic if the body of water they inhabit is threatened. Others are closer to the malicious fae that are found in folklore, and take pleasure in drowning and eating people. They form a bond with the water source they were born in. If a nixie changes locations and switches to living in a new body of water, the bond will break and reform with their new home. Most nixies have hyper and fun-loving personalities. 

ABILITIES: Nixies can take on two forms– that of a human, and their true form, which has the appearance of a humanoid with scaly skin, fused legs, pointed teeth, webbed fingers with sharp claws, and gills on either their neck or torso. Due to their precise control over their shapeshifting, it’s not uncommon to see them mixing and matching traits from both forms. It can be difficult for young nixies to learn how to control their shifting; precision comes with age and experience. As long as their gills are present, they can breathe both in the air and in the water. They have accelerated healing, though it’s only active while they’re in water. While many nixies are musically inclined and use their songs to lure people to the water’s edge, their songs are not magically seductive. 

WEAKNESS: The longer a nix is separated from their source of water, the more despondent, anxious, mischievous, aggressive, and (sometimes unintentionally) cruel they become. Eventually, they’re at risk of dehydration and eventual death. They’re prone to anxiety when they stray too far (out of town) away from their water source. Nixies are fast, agile, and difficult to capture, but once out of water, they can also be killed by normal means such as decapitation or organ injury. Contact with iron will force the nix into their true form and burns, like with other fae species. If their body of water dries up, they die. Pollution may make them sick. They can only spend a limited amount of time submerged in salt water, as it will dry them out after about 30 minutes. 

CAUTION TAPE: All nixies have the urge to drown and eat people, even when they have a soft spot for humans. This can be difficult to resist, especially when they see people in the water with them. Anyone who enters the water with a volatile nix is automatically in major danger. If you see one looking a little upset while they’re in the water, you wouldn’t be safe with them, human or otherwise. Additionally, because of their bond with the water they live in, they’re prone to becoming emotional and dangerous when their home is threatened in any way. 

OTHER INFO:

Though they aren’t strict carnivores, all nixies enjoy eating live prey, and even the nice ones have at least thought about what it would be like to drown and eat a human.

Some nixies have a fish-like odor that makes people not want to get too close to them; while some individuals cover it up with perfumes and other scents, others might smell so bad that they can’t cover it up at all.

Nixies are constantly growing new teeth and losing old ones, much like sharks.

Most get really angry when you call them mermaids, and will launch into a tirade of fae pride. Don’t do it.

[curatedfaetes]

NAME: Nymph

RARITY: ★★☆☆☆

LIFESPAN: Variable

ORIGIN: Mythology is home to hundreds of different kinds of nymphs. Though sometimes referred to as spirits in literature, this is a way of saying they possess knowledge humans don’t have and are the embodiment of nature. 

DESCRIPTION: Nymphs are a category of fae with many subtypes, all tied to elements, biomes, or sometimes plants and animals. They’re the most ancient groups of fae, and one of the most magical. Most share a love for games and trickery – naturally, these “games” are often deadly or dangerous for the humans involved. Many nymphs are insular and keep close to their own kind, choosing to reject most human company; historically, they’re the most likely fae to live in Aos sí communities. The appearance and abilities of nymphs vary widely, and are related to whatever element or area that type of nymph is connected to. Generally speaking, nymphs will have obviously inhuman characteristics representative of their connection; most mask their appearance with glamours, but how effective this is depends on an individual’s level of experience. 

ABILITIES: All nymphs are natural practitioners of illusion magic. Though visual illusions come easiest to them, some who are especially talented may be able to expand their skills to other types of illusions or natural forms of magic. They have a connection to nature and may physically feel when a tree, earth, forest, ocean, or body of water is upset or unbalanced, depending on their domain. Some types of nymphs have additional abilities, such as preternatural strength, breathing underwater, flight, and heightened senses.

WEAKNESS: Some nymphs lack preternatural strength and senses, meaning they can be harmed or killed using ordinary weapons and methods. Like other fae, they’re susceptible to iron, especially cold iron. Their close ties to nature can be used against them, as most types of nymphs can be harmed or killed if what they protect is destroyed. They can be especially sensitive and volatile. Many types of nymphs have specific weaknesses based on what they’re connected to.

CAUTION TAPE: Being so tied to nature, it’s not uncommon for nymphs to put their connection and bond with the environment over the lives of the people around them. Sometimes, even other fae come second to their element. Many nymphs spend or spent a long time apart from humans and even other supernaturals, meaning they can lack empathy. It’s not uncommon for nymphs to become dangerous or lethal to those who try to harm what they’re connected to, or intrude on their domain.

PLAYABLE TYPES:

Leshy 

Lampade

Nix/Nokk

Nymph (Be creative in those skeleton bios! There are nymphs for most elements, biomes, concepts, and even honeybees)

[curatedfaetes]

NAME: Fae (both singular and plural)

ALSO KNOWN AS: Faerie, Fairy, Fairfolk, Fey

DESCRIPTION: Primarily of Irish, Scottish, English, and French origin, “fae” is a broad category which includes hundreds of species, some more humanoid than others. People tend to focus on their beauty, not grasping their demonic savagery. In addition to being proud and arrogant, fae are inherently chaotic; as a result, humans have labeled the chaos they liked “Seelie” and the chaos they didn’t like “Unseelie,” though fae reject all attempts at classification, especially from humans. Fae species vary drastically in appearance, physiology, and diet. Some humanoid fae have insect-like wings (with great variation) which they’re naturally able to hide with a glamour, though this isn’t a species-specific trait. Most human-sized winged fae are not able to fly very far; some can merely hover and others may have only vestigial wings. In aquatic species, these wings have become extra fins.

ABILITIES: Most fae have some magical abilities, whether it’s the divine inspiration of the leanan-sidhe or the horrific wail of the banshee. Some of them are immortal; most have elongated lifespans, and some others have human lifespans or even shorter ones. Some smaller species, like pixies, have a way of remaining unseen if a human isn’t paying attention. Others can put their victims in a trance through the use of pheromones (gancanagh) or hypnotism (glaistig), will eviscerate those who lie directly to them, or have a tendency to trap people into bargains they later regret. Most fae have an immunity to the abilities of other fae; they cannot feed off each other, however they can always sense each other’s nearby presence. Some fae are also capable of utilizing glamours to change small aspects of their appearance and blend in with humans; these take concentration to uphold.

Choose your words very carefully around fae; they’ll turn their words into a labyrinth or half-truth to avoid a direct lie, and they’ll hold you to anything indicating a favor owed, promise, deal, or gratitude, sometimes magically so. Giving something to a fae in words, be it thanks, promises, or debts, can be collected on in the future. For less experienced fae, the onus of this is on the bindee (”promise,” “can I have your name?”) while more experienced fae are able to intentionally bind people to their words with more flexibility and precision. Even saying “thank you” to them can prove dangerous.

WEAKNESS: All fae are vulnerable to iron. This iron weakness includes a sensitivity to blood (except for species that feed on it) and iron-rich food; while steel won’t cause a horrible reaction, it can be irritating. Fae who come in contact with iron will have a severe burn; prolonged exposure can even cause death. All iron will hurt them, but cold iron (iron forged at a lower temperature) is more likely to be fatal or at least result in a nasty scar. Injuries caused by contact with iron will heal, albeit at a much slower rate than other types of injuries. Fae are targeted by specialized hunters, called wardens.

Fae dislike lying, and tend to be poor liars, opting for half-truths when possible. Some fae cannot even tell a lie themselves, and can be trapped in their own game or bargain. Fae who tell lies (and especially big, repetitive lies) are likely to suffer negative effects such as rashes, vomiting, loss of control, or other nasty side-effects. All fae may act a little strange around Halloween, becoming more prone to pulling pranks and not taking things seriously. 

CAUTION TAPE: Fae are incredibly insular, sometimes living in communities almost exclusively full of others like themselves. This means they often think little of humans, and sometimes even non-fae in general; the loss of human life is of little concern to many fae. All fae have the potential to bind people to their words, and their inherent love of chaos and mischief means that this often turns dangerous or deadly.

PLAYABLE TYPES:

Banshee

Gancanagh 

Glaistig

Leanan-sidhe 

Nymph (Leshy, Lampade, Nix/Nokk, Other)

Spriggan

[curatedfaetes]

Name: Osric “Oz” Cadwaladr Species: Nymph (Nokk) Occupation: Assistant Curator Age: 25 Years Old Played By: Zee Face Claim: Noah Centineo

“Funny. I never thought of it as stealing. I’m taking back what’s ours.”

Oz remembered the day his sister, Mina, was taken from his family. In his memory, his sister’s cries echo through the empty house. Her captor stands over his mother’s body. And then, for reasons Oz cannot explain, the hunter lets him live.

Rhiannon, his mother, had long been enamored with humans. The members of their Welsh Aos Sí community had urged her, time after time, to be more discreet with her dalliances, to seduce only common folk. But Rhiannon loved manipulating powerful liars, getting them to promise her the world. Some would say his mother had invited betrayal, knowing the awful truths of the men she ensnared. 

But Mina’s father, his mother’s killer, had been… different. He told Rhiannon of his journeys across the continent, and Rhiannon, who had never left their small village, was enraptured. A romantic might have called it love. Oz wasn’t that optimistic. When the hunter came for her, whatever affection he might have felt for Rhiannon had left his eyes.

After, afraid that the hunter might return to finish the job, the Aos Sí exiled Oz. Oz’s heartbroken eldest sister, Carys, stole him away to California, and they settled along a Central Valley river — alone, but alive. When Oz woke with nightmares of a sister still-alive, Carys told him the only truth she could: If Oz believed Mina was alive, they’d never stop searching.

Oz lived his childhood as an outsider. Having been abandoned by a fae community, Oz never quite trusted the fae nestled around San Francisco. But he was too quiet for the babbling brook of the humans’ ceaseless chatter. Oz barely paid attention to the human children in his classes. He was smarter, faster, better. Whether or not he had his community, Osric was fae. 

By the time he was a teenager, Oz’s aloof nature had translated to popularity. Sycophants surrounded him — Oz was a model student, a model athlete, a model human. Humans wanted to be him, or else wanted to sleep with him. But Oz didn’t share his mother’s fascination with humanity. His so-called friends were there to support him, not the other way around. 

But Oz was still young, still learning how to manipulate others, and he was arrogant. Surely, no human that dared step foot in his home would be so bold as to steal from him, right? But that was the wrinkle with humans: They always wanted more, always wanted to take from the fae, from the world, and call it their own. When a family heirloom went missing, Oz saw red. It took him little time to find the thief — how many of his “friends” had he bound to tell the truth? — but Oz didn’t want recompense. He wanted revenge.

On the senior trip to Lake Merced, a real tragedy struck the humans. One of the true gems of the class, a real nice boy, had chosen to take a night swim. What a shame that he didn’t realize Oz was waiting for him beneath the deep blue. Oz knew the truth of this boy, and would take their history from the human’s corpse. A horrible “accident,” a debt repaid.

It changed something in Oz. He’d always held humans in low regard, their responsibility in his family’s suffering undeniable. But the thief reminded him of the true issue. Fae had suffered, for centuries, at the hands of humans. Art and artifacts had been stolen from the fae, put in human museums or private collections. Oz would not make the same mistake twice. 

He threw himself into his work, learning more about the human’s “art.” Curating human collections could be bland — after all, so much of their talent was wasted — but it put him close to the dealers and stealers. And if a few humans showed up dead in the riverbed, no one would miss them. Oz made sure of it. And, as Oz made a name for himself, he found that returning what had been taken from fae had a pleasant side effect. Debts, to be called upon when Oz needed them most. Information, to continue a search that he’d never fully abated from.

It was chance that eventually brought him to White Crest. A fae put in charge of a new museum — one who owned him a debt, and made the case that this was a worthy way of repaying it. So much information passed through White Crest, on art, records, people. Fae passed through routinely, and Oz’s reputation for… repatriation would only draw more to the town. Surely, one of them had seen his sister’s captor. And maybe, if he was really lucky, one of them had found his sister, already. Oz had honed his skills for this moment; it was time to find Mina. No matter what.

Character Facts:

Personality: Ambitious, clever, cynical, enigmatic, loyal, obsessive, proud, shrewd, thorough, vindictive

While most wouldn’t describe Oz as overly warm, he’s worked hard to maintain a facade of relative affability. He lets this slip around his targets, becoming cold and arrogant. Granted, if Oz is that relaxed around you, you likely don’t have much longer to live.

Despite his rocky relationship with his homeland, Oz’s loyalties lie firmly with fae… after his immediate family, of course. Oz has a neutral opinion of most other supernatural creatures and, despite feeling superior to humans, is content to let them continue thinking they run the show.

Oz’s specialty in curation is in contemporary art. Today’s contemporary is tomorrow’s “early twenty-first century,” after all. He intends to keep his operation going for as long as possible.

Growing up outside of San Francisco, Oz has a soft spot for burgeoning music acts, especially ones that try to experiment with form and genre. (One of the good things about humans: they’re always changing.)