The World

Beyond a sea of mist, there exists a world that lies parallel to our own.

This realm is called Folkland, and it is a hidden continent that is over 25,000 years old. It is a place of incredible beauty where nature and magic run rampant. However, do not be fooled by its charm, because danger lies in wait too.

Everything is heightened in this lost land - emotions, colours, sights and sounds… and the folk that inhabit this place are strange indeed…

Fairies, good folk, hidden people, fair ones, Sidhe… this is the land of the fae. 

Folkland is a pangea style continent that is divided into 8 duchies: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Day, Night, Darkwood, and Underwater. These 8 duchies have unique weather systems, seasons, and biomes.

• Duchy of Summer – This duchy exists in perpetual Summer. It is a subtropical mediterranean biome with a wet season (prone to monsoons and cyclones) and a dry season. Filled with coastal forests, mixed woodland, jungle and scrubs. Weather stays around 25-35 at all times.

• Duchy of Spring – This duchy exists in perpetual Spring. It is a great plain biome, filled with woodland, farmland, and rivers. Rain showers and storms are common. It also contains plenty of marshlands, fjords, and lakes.

• Duchy of Autumn – This duchy exists in perpetual Autumn. It is a highland lower in altitude and less rugged than an alpine biome, allowing for crop growth. It is heavily wooded and contains many valleys. Rain showers and wind are common, and the trees are permanently red, gold, and orange all year round. It is a cooler biome.

• Duchy of Winter – This duchy exists in perpetual Winter. It is defined by hard, glacial ancient rock, fjords, frozen lakes, tundra, and dense woodland. This region is covered in snow all year round. It suffers from occasional blizzards..

• The Darkwood – This duchy is perpetually dark and gloomy, and is made up of swampy marshland, vast underground caverns, stinky bogs, dark hollows, and forests the light cannot shine through. A layer of mist covers the forest floor and peat fires under the surface of the land sometimes cause sinkholes, fires, and toxic gas. Not a pleasant place at all!

• Underwater Duchy – This is an underwater region consisting of vast cities made of seastone and coral, kelp forests, bustling coral reefs, and ancient deep sea ruins. Beware of strong currents and riptides.

• Duchy of Night – This duchy exists in perpetual nighttime, charactererised by warm temperatures like a humid summer evening. The landscape is made of lush woodlands, tropical forests, mushroom groves, forest lakes and glens. Plenty of nocturnal animals and spirits lurk in the beautiful darkness.

• Duchy of Day – This duchy exists in perpetual daylight. It is always sunrise, and the warmth of the sun is offset by colder temperatures the further up the mountains you go. The mountains and sky islands that float beside the towering peaks are covered in alpine flora and fauna, the wind is quite chilly.

Real World Inspiration

The Folkland world draws mythological and cultural inspiration from numerous European civilisations including but not limited to Celtic, Germanic, French, and Slavic cultures. It draws heavily on Pagan belief systems.

Language

The language spoken by the Fae is ancient Celtic but the group is run in English.*

*The factual and historical correctness of the group’s lore to existing real-world folklore will be loose at best. It is just for inspiration and no disrespect is meant to these cultures!

Currency

There are two main forms of currency in Folkland.

• Fairy Gold – A small (1 inch) golden disc in the shape of a leaf. 1 Fairy Gold is worth about $1 AUD.

• Crystal – A small (1.75 inch tall) crystal rod. White in colour but shines rainbow in the light. 1 Crystal is worth around $25 AUD.

Races

There are a multitude of mythological races and creatures living in Folkland. There are 10 playable races (with more to be unlocked as the story progresses):

1. High Fae – Tall flower themed Fae with magical prowess and noble roots.

2. Fairies – Tiny bug themed fae with bug armour and wings.

3. Sprites – Small produce themed fae who are spirits of crops.

4. Selkies – Fae that can switch between a human form and seal form.

5. Dryads – Fae that look like trees and live in the wilderness.

6. Fishfolk – Fae that live in the ocean and are based on sea creatures.

7. Stonefolk – Fae made from gemstones that live in mines and caves.

8. Critters – Animal fae who can walk on hind legs and speak.

9. Wildlings – Fae that have taken on animal elements like ears & tales.

10. Arachnus – Spider themed Fae who live in the Unseelie Duchy called the Darkwood.

11. Nymphs – Starry, immortal night sky folk who live in the Night Duchy.

12. Florans – Intelligent and graceful unicorn people who live in the Day Duchy.

13. Polypores – Mushroom themed folk who live in the Night Duchy, spreading in the darkness.

14. Harpies – Fierce and noble warriors who take after birds and live in the Day Duchy.

15. Craith – Savage and heavily tattooed warriors who hunt and live in the Darkwood.

16. Strzyga – Immortal vampire-folk who feed on blood and flesh, and are at risk of succumbing to blood frenzy.

Other creatures that live in this world include but are not limited to: hobgoblins, satyrs, changelings, pixies, kelpies, water nymphs, banshees, trolls, brownies, unicorns, talking flowers, harpies, gnomes, and many more.

Most races coexist harmoniously in towns and settlements, but less common folk such as selkies and harpies may stick together more in their own settlements in the world. Some fae such as banshees and unicorns are completely solitary and live in solitude in the wilderness or roam as nomads.

Religion

Folkland practices duotheism, meaning that they believe in the existence of two gods (or in this case, goddesses).

• Rhiannon – The Seelie goddess of horses, fertility, magic, and sovereignty. Those who worship her value honour, love, beauty, and duty.

• Morrigan - The Unseelie goddess of war, fate, and crows. Those who worship her value change, magic, truth, and passion.

It is a commonly held belief that Rhiannon and Morrigan tamed the wild realm of Folkland when it first appeared, and that they started the first great Fae civilisation together (or at least created the conditions for it).

This is an intensely pagan society that reveres nature above all else. These goddesses are thought to have moved on from this world and their spirit and energy returned to the land. Neither one is considered better than the other culturally, although Rhiannon is worshiped more often.

Gender, Sexuality and Identity

The Fae, being creatures that inherently value freedom, have a non-judgemental and open society when it comes to gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. There are no gender norms, and it is a given that Fae are able to express their identities however they wish.

Racial Politics

Folkland has a racial superiority problem whereby the High Fae are always the only race or the majority race present in the ruling class. They believe themselves to be the oldest, wisest and most powerful fae and have ruled Folkland since the beginning of time in this realm. Because they create their successor out of magic, the rulers of Folkland have mastered the art of passing ruling rites to their ‘next-of-kin’ with little competition. There is little chance of a High Fae ruler dying without a successor in his or her Court… well, in a time of peace at least.

Architecture

Each of the Duchies have their own Architectural style (influenced from real world European cultures again).

• Duchy of Summer – Art Nouveau architecture - organic shapes, curving lines, and ornamentation depicting the natural world. Stained glass.

• Duchy of Spring – Traditional Germanic architecture - half timbered houses, often painted in vibrant colours with visible slats and window box flowers.

• Duchy of Autumn – Medieval Scandinavian architecture - long wooden boat houses and buildings. Using wooden logs, cabin style.

• Duchy of Winter – Traditional Russian architecture - byzantine inspired onion domes, ornate carvings, lace ironwork, colourful facades, etc.

• Duchy of Day – Baroque - white stone and marble, grandiose spaces, gravity defying structures and overly detailed decorations.

• Duchy of Night – Celestial steampunk - lots of intricate gold and copper and silver metalwork, round shapes and celestial themes.

• The Darkwood – French Gothic architecture - arches and pillars and flying buttresses.

• Underwater Duchy – Mediterranean architecture - terracotta, arches, and tiled patios.

Clothing

When considering cultural garb and fashion in Folkland, two elements need to be considered:

1. Duchy - each Duchy has a subtle cultural inspiration that you can draw on for your character design:

• Duchy of Summer – Venetian Carnival

• Duchy of Spring – Traditional Germanic

• Duchy of Autumn – Norse/Viking

• Duchy of Winter – Traditional Russian

• Duchy of Day – Northern europe (winter).

• Duchy of Night – European renaissance x steampunk.

• The Darkwood – Medieval Celtic

• Underwater Duchy – Greek, but minimal clothing is worn

2. Race - each Race has specific fabrics, textures, armour materials, and ornamentations unique to them. Please check the Race guides for more information.

If you don’t want to incorporate elements of the Duchy cultural inspirations into your character design, as long as the outfit is high-fantasy and adheres to the Race fashion rules, you can call it a day. 👍

Food

Feasting and food offerings is a HUGE part of fae culture. Fae stole many classic medieval recipes from humans before the Exodus, so they have a wide variety of European dishes that they can cook. Polish pierogi, Scottish Haggis, Norwegian Lutefisk - you name it. House fae such as Brownies, Gnomes and Sprites are especially talented cooks.

They also have their own, much simpler foods that are enjoyed plain, offered to shrines, used in rituals, and are thought of as sacred: cakes, mead, milk, edible flowers, mushrooms, fruits, crops, spring water, etc.

Deals, Promises and Curses

Fae are tricksy creatures who love to exploit and manipulate others through making deals or ‘fairy promises’. Deals often have disproportionate costs, unfair terms, or negative side effects. If the deal is reneged on or a promise broken, that's a sure fire way to get cursed.

In the past, Fae loved to trick hapless humans into terrible deals as they didn’t know any better - but tricking other fae is more complicated. It’s generally considered rude to try to trick another fae, and yet it certainly happens.

Fae never do or receive anything freely - there is always a price to be paid.

The general rules of avoiding another Fae’s trickery are as below (credit to thisisarrowsblog on Tumblr). 

The Fae Courts love to get into this sort of trickery with each other.

Eat not what they offer

Promise not thy firstborne child

Magic always has a price

A life for a life, there must always be balance

Invite them not in thy home

Speak not thy name, for a name is power

Ask not for favours, you will regret them

Dance not with them, for they will enchant thee

Drink not from their wells

Lie not, the fair folk hate those who lie

Sign no contracts

Give not thy blood

Seek not power through them, for they will gain it through you

Fairy Promises are a magical, binding contract between fae. They are formed simply by verbally reciting the terms of the promise and a verbal agreement in response. For extremely powerful promises, Fae may trade their real names to each other. If a fairy promise is broken, the fae responsible is cursed with fatal bad luck and may encounter additional curses or punishments depending on the power of the caster.

The Importance of Names

Names are hugely powerful in Fae culture. Although Fae can know the names of other Fae and not hold power or control over them, if a human were to learn a Fae’s true name, they would be able to command that Fae to do anything.

Since Fae no longer travel to the Human realm, this isn’t currently a threat.

Holidays and Important Dates

Fae have a combination and ancient, sacred holidays, as well as holidays stolen from the Mortal Realm. Some holidays are Duchy specific.

• Imbolc: Honor the first signs of Spring and the Growing Power of the Sun.

• Beltane: Festival of fertility. Dancing around the maypole and lighting bonfires.

• Litha (Summer Solstice): Longest day of the year. Celebrate the Sun.

• Lammas (Lughnasadh): Marks the first harvest of the year. Give thanks for the fruit of the land.

• Mabon: Autumnal equinox. Give thanks for the harvest and prepare for Winter.

• Samhain: Honor ancestors.Veil between the Fae Realm and the Underworld is thin.

• Yule: Burning of the Yule log and exchange of gifts.

• Ostara (Spring Equinox): Balance, fertility, and new life.

• Midsummer: Celebrate power of the sun. Bonfires, feasting and dancing.

• Charming of the Plow: Bless the plow before the planting begins.

• Nollaig na mBan: A time for women to relax after the busy Yule season.

• Ancestor Night: Connect and honor one’s ancestors.

• May Day: Maypole dancing, flower crowns, festivities.

• All Hallow’s Eve: Thinning of the veil between worlds. Fae grow dark on this night.

Each Duchy is ruled by a Duke and/or a Duchess who are always High Fae.

Courts often fight bitterly amongst each other to be the Duchy with the King and Queen: the monarch ruler over all the Realm. Summer is currently holding the title of King and Queen.

• Monarchy: Ruled by King and Queen of the Fae (currently Summer High Fae - Queen Caspinnia and King Artollo).

• Duke/Duchess: At the top of the political hierarchy is the Duke or Duchess, who is the hereditary ruler of the duchy. The title of Duke or Duchess is always a High Fae and typically passed down through their progeny.

• Nobility: Beneath the Duke or Duchess, there is a system of nobility that includes various titles such as counts, barons, marquises, and viscounts. These nobles often hold lands or territories within the duchy and have their own privileges and responsibilities.

• Court and Council: The Duke or Duchess has a court or council composed of advisors, ministers, and nobles. This council assists in making decisions regarding governance, law, and other duchy matters.

• Laws and Governance: The duchy has its own set of laws and regulations, which are often a blend of local customs, feudal laws, and any legal codes imposed by the overarching monarchy or kingdom. The Duke or Duchess is responsible for maintaining law and order within the duchy.

• Economy and Taxation: The duchy has its own economy, which can include agriculture, trade, and various industries. The Duke or Duchess impose taxes on the duchy's residents to fund government operations.

• Military: The duchy typically maintains its own military forces, which can include knights, soldiers, and other personnel responsible for defense and security. The Duke or Duchess is the commander-in-chief of these forces.

• Feudal Obligations: The duchy has a system of feudal obligations in which vassals (nobles, lords, or landowners) provide military service, resources, or other forms of support in exchange for land and protection from the Duke or Duchess.

• Relations with the Monarch: The Duke or Duchess owe allegiance and taxes to the king or queen.

• Inheritance: In most cases, the title of Duke or Duchess is inherited, passing from one High Fae to its successor to the next within the ruling noble ‘family’. In some instances, succession disputes may arise.

• Local Governance: The duchy is divided into smaller administrative regions, each governed by local officials who report to the Duke or Duchess. These regions have their own laws and regulations to a certain extent.

Technology

Folkland’s technology level is technically classified as Medieval / Pre-Industrial, however there are areas of society where it is almost Renaissance level thanks to the use of magic.

Advanced technology is often used in places of great wealth, such as Courts and major townships. Whereas smaller, poorer towns, tribes, villages and hamlets will have much more rudimentary technology.

For example, the Autumn Duchy is approaching a steampunk level of technology in the capital city where the Court resides, due to the Duchess of Autumn taking a strong interest in arcane technology, and funding related research and exploits.

Travel

Peasants travel via mounted beasts or carriages. Cities with larger populations and more wealth may have more innovative or magic imbued methods of travel. Fae with great magic power can create portals and travel through them instantaneously, but have to be careful as the destination may have wards to stop or discourage portalling. There are also natural portals in nature like doorways, ruins, steps etc that if touched by a magically inclined Fae will transport them to a sister portal. You never know where you’re gonna end up though.

Common travel methods in each duchy is as follows:

• Duchy of Summer – Camels, Goats, Lizards, Wagons, Boats.

• Duchy of Spring – Ponies, Donkeys, Horses, Oxen carts.

• Duchy of Autumn – Elk, Bears. Arcane balloon (prototype!)

• Duchy of Winter – Reindeer and Moose, sleighs, sleigh train, dog sled.

• The Darkwood – Dire Bats, Crocodiles, Canoes (wagons and land animals no good thanks to mucky swamp).

• Underwater Duchy – Sea horses, eels, manta ray or whale shark wagons, Octoboat

• Night Duchy – Moon boats, moon jellyfish, caravans, dire-moth, were-owl.

• Day Duchy – Sky bridges, airship, rope lift, windglider.

Note: Sprites and Fairies use birds and squirrels as long distance travel beasts.

Magic System

In Folkland, magic is a part of everyday life. Basic magic is used and accessed by almost every creature in the realm, and every race has unique magical abilities. Magic is sourced from nature. Like everything in the fae realm, using magic is like making a deal. You trade some of your life force and energy with the world in exchange for its power.

For most creatures, using magic in small amounts is permissible and they can replenish their own life force as quickly as they trade it out. However, if they push it beyond their capability, the consequences range from tiredness, to exhaustion, to passing out, to falling in a coma, and even death. This trade must always be equal and Fae must take care to perform magic at their level. As Fae creatures practice this exchange with Nature, they will be able to trade more to access more. More on this in a moment.

If a Fae creature taps into a power source that far surpasses their own abilities they will lose control and get ‘flooded’ with magic, and will permanently damage their life force leading to rapid aging, and even death. Fae who have suffered this ‘flooding’ phenomenon will shrivel as their body uses life reserves to try to recover from the sudden spill of their energy.

Magic Pacts

For Fae who wish to access riskier and more powerful depths of magic (and have trained long and hard in order to reach this level), they can choose to make a pact with something in the natural world. Because the natural world of Folkland is so imbued with magic, Fae can make pacts with animals, plants, statues and other ancient artifacts, weapons, ancestors, and even physical locations.

Certain classes and subclasses will require Fae to make a pact with a certain focus.

Creation Myth

It is said that Morrigan, goddess of fate and all knowing battle master and mother of crows, foresaw the entire history of the universe before Fae even existed. She entreated her sister Rhiannon to help her find a realm where the natural world would be protected and preserved by spirits of nature. Together they discovered Folkland and tamed the wilderness, using magic to bring the first Fae to life in the process. 

Rhiannon blew the seeds off a dandelion flower, and as the seeds fell to the ground they sprouted into High Fae. Morrigan blew pollen from a flower and as it hit the trees and the ground and the animals, Dryads, Critters, Wildlings, and Fairies, Sprites and others were born. And so on it went.

With their magical powers much diminished, the goddesses returned to the world of Men and left the Fae their sacred duty as they turned to guide humanity as best they could. In doing so, they underestimated the curious and bold nature of the fae.

The Golden Age of Meddling

The Fae learned to harness their own rudimentary forms of magic, and began to plane walk between their Realm and Earth. And thus began 4000 years of interference and meddling in human affairs, which was widely regarded by the Fae as a jolly good bit of fun.

Mischievous, tricksy and sometimes downright malicious, the fae spent millennia teasing, trapping, and trifling in human affairs. In that age of humanity, humans still worshiped nature and nature gods, calling this belief system Paganism. The Fae had a significant cultural impact on their world and grew comfortable moving between realms as they pleased. Some fae even lived amongst humans, cleaning their homes and cooking their food.

The Rise of Christianity and the Fall of Paganism

However, as time went on, Paganism dwindled and Christianity began to spread across the globe. Christians preached that fae were really fallen angels, demons, or unbaptised children, and that because the fae did not pick between heaven and hell, they were cast down as fallen angels, and were banished to the mortal realms to live out their punishment. Pagan superstitions and reverence for Nature were giving way to this immense fear of God.

This fear of God would hold the mortal realm in a vice grip until the next great power came along.

The Rise of Industry and Technology

Humanity made advancements in technology throughout the Industrial Revolution and onwards, and they started to revere these machines and the industry that created them. And so passed centuries, with the Fae and their power dwindling in the Mortal Realm as humanity slowly lost sight of its roots in nature and magic.

Sightings of Fae became rarer and rarer, with Fae finding themselves weakened in this world that was destroying forests, and mountains, digging into mines, dredging up oil, and filling the ozone with toxic gasses. More and more sacred Fairy sites such as Fairy rings, Fairy mounds, Trees, and portals to the Folkland were being destroyed by big machines.

The Exodus

It was simple - it was time to farewell the mortal realm forever, and return to the ancestral homelands of Folkland. The Fae remembered their promise of protecting and preserving the natural world, and decided that if they could not save the mortal realm, they would at least protect their own.

With the migration of so many Fae back to their homeland, Folkland teemed with magical life once again, and thus began the second great Fairy Age.

The Rise of Folkland

This age saw great technological and cultural advancements of their own in Folkland. The Fae borrowed many aspects of mortal culture (including food, clothing, and architecture) and began to work on improving their infrastructure and technology, using magic rather than electricity, oil, and ore.

And that’s where we are now…

Folkland is currently enjoying a time of relative peace, as well as technological and arcane innovation.

However, dark storm clouds threaten on the horizon. Something from the past will return, and new powers are on the rise, just beyond the view of the industrious fae.

Folkland will need heroes in order to defend the Realm, and to ensure our ancient and solemn promise to Rhiannon and Morrigan is upheld. The fate of the Realm is at stake.

Luckily, I think I know a guy…