Fey, Fairies, & Elves

Born of the forces of nature, the fey, fae, fairies, or elves, or whatever you wish to call them, are a proud species of supernatural beings, some capable of feats that would rival gods. Perhaps the most diverse of all supernatural races, they make up the bulk of different types of supernaturals, though they make up the smallest over all percentage of the supernatural population.

Fey break down into many different categories, all with different historical and mythical backgrounds and all have their own specific talents and abilities.

Characteristics
Though the most diverse of all supernatural creatures, there are a few assumptions that can be made about any fey. If you actually see a fey, they are mostly likely half human. This is due to the fact that "true fey" live in the woods, and rarely venture from their heavily cloaked homes beyond the reach of humankind. However, many fey become infatuated with mortals and have been known to bear children with them. When this happens, the child, who is essentially, for all intents and purposes, fey, is not welcomed within the lands of the fey. Because even if the child possesses all the same talents as his fey parent, they are still only mortal.

Fey are also fond of nature. It is a compulsion they cannot overcome. In the open air, regardless of weather, with nothing but grass beneath their feet and sky over their head, they can't help but enjoy themselves. In contrast, all fey appear to have a natural aversion to the undead. This dislike of the undead is believed to be a result of their connection and affinity for nature, and the fact that undead creatures are "unnatural". However, the immense hatred of the undead that many fey possess is not inborn and is instead taught to fey children as they grow up. Thus, if a fey child is not taught to hate, they may not carry the same contempt for the undead as their fey-raised counterparts.

All fey share the same weaknesses as well, iron and ash wood. Though others have additional weaknesses more closely attributed to their exact type of fey.



Shapeshifters
Perhaps one of the most well known fey, shapeshifters are supernatural beings who are able to alter their physical form to appear like anyone they want, within reason. They gain none of the special abilities of the person they mimic and they are not able to gain memories or have any special insight into the person's life simply by taking on their form. A shapeshifter need only see a person once, and they are able to immediately assume their form. However, anything masked by clothing is fair game, and if the shapeshifter can't see it, they can't mimic it. However, everything else is completely, and flawlessly duplicated, from hair and eye color, to bone structure, and skin texture. A shapshifter can even mimic the voice of another person, perfectly, and even a vocal analyst can't tell the difference.

Shapeshifters can live indefinitely, as most fey, but due mainly to the fact that constantly shifting partially resets their biological clock. Unique to shapeshifters, shapeshifters must fulfill a command they are given if the command is accompanied by their true name. A shapeshifter is given their true name at birth, and all shapeshifter guard their true names with their life. Most will die before giving out their true name. And it is an unwritten rule among shapeshifters to not give out others' true name, if they know it.



Fairies & Elves
Fairies are nature spirits with a strong connection to magic. Being born of nature itself, they have an overwhelming affinity towards it and prefer to be in its presence over the "comforts" of modern society. Fairies will rarely venture into human lands. More often than not, they are summoned, trapped, or become infatuated with a human they meet in the woods, if you ever see one outside the forests or mountains.

Fairies come in countless shapes, sizes, and types. From dwarves who dwell deep in mountains beyond the reach of humans, who very few humans have ever seen, to the dryads, nymphs and sirens of the forests. Fairies blend into modern society, if they chose to venture there, by masking themselves with their "glamour" ability. Two of the most well known and most frequently seen fairies are the tree fairies, dryads or nymphs as they are often called, and sirens, magical enchantresses who are able to sway humans and many other races with just their voice.

Fairies can be very powerful, and can sometimes possess godlike ability, depending on how old and what type of fairy they are. Fairies can also be fierce warriors, and are known to like ranged weapons thanks to their keen eyesight. Most of the time, though they vary, fairies possess the ability to move as fast as any vampire, have the senses of smell of a wolf and the eyesight of an owl and eagle, and hear like a bat. They are also known to heal faster than humans.

Strengths

 * Extrasensory Perception - Fey can sense the auras of other supernaturals just cambions and nephilims. However, like them, they also do not instinctively know what aura they sense, unless they are familiar with it.
 * Magical Adeptness - All fey races are able and excel at practicing magic.
 * Longevity - All fey live roughly 500 years, some longer, except for certain fairies, which are known to have existed before Rome.
 * Glamour - All fey can mask their appearance through an illusion that, while only visual, is completely convincing even up close, as long as they don't try and touch the illusion.

Weaknesses

 * IrishBell.jpg: All fey are vulnerable to iron. Being stabbed with it is a death sentence, and the very ringing of iron bells can render an elf dizzy and powerless. The metal does appear to act as a poison, but instead seems to render them powerless.
 * Ash wood: If someone burns ash wood, one can use the ashes as a poison if they can trick the fey into consuming it. Or they can use it as a way of protecting themselves from a fey, by putting a line of ash wood ash down on the ground. A line made of its ashes cannot be crossed by any fey, regardless of what type.