Roleplaying Fae NPCs

[Richard_Chilton]

All Fae
- Fae cannot utter something they believe to be false, but saying something anyone else will think is a lie is just fine (i.e. Mab promising Harry he would not punish him for failing in Summer Knight... and then causing him pain out of spite - the pain wasn't because he failed - it was because she felt like it); note that they will exploit and twist this for all manner of deception.

Are we sure about this one? I'm thinking Storm Front, Toot-toot, and Toot-toot's "Let me go or I'll..." rant.  If that was all true then Toot-toot is a major player.

Richard

[Blackblade]

Maybe it's only the Sidhe that can't utter what they believe to be lies.  Or maybe Toot-toot was just really deluded. 

[Tedronai]

Toot-toot was just really deluded.

This seems the most plausible answer to me, given Toot's actions at other points in the novels.

[devonapple]

Are we sure about this one? I'm thinking Storm Front, Toot-toot, and Toot-toot's "Let me go or I'll..." rant.  If that was all true then Toot-toot is a major player.

I'm not recalling the tirade, so I can't really assess the veracity of it. It could be that he may have been poised to either call in debts or take out obligations to make it possible for him to do... whatever he threatened to do. It may also just be in his nature to self-aggrandize and puff himself up to appear threatening.

[Mr. Death]

Toot's the kind of being that'll take on an immortal shapeshifting demigod of fear and pure distilled wrongness with nothing but a box knife and plastic armor. He's definitely the type to puff himself up and think he could honestly threaten someone.

Edit: Oops, I think I got this thread mixed up with another one I was reading. Nevermind.

[Malraza]

I think it's only the Sidhe that are restricted to telling the truth. Doesn't Harry in Summer Knight have to make the Malk in Undertown repeat something three times to make sure it's the truth or something?

[Mr. Death]

Harry makes it repeat it, but he doesn't have to. Harry's just making absolutely sure, and in the narration he notes that it's not really necessary and he's probably insulting the Malk by insisting on it.

[devonapple]

in the narration he notes that it's not really necessary and he's probably insulting the Malk by insisting on it.

Quelle surprise!

[wyvern]

Insulting it by implying it's not sidhe, perhaps?

[Mr. Death]

I'd have to check, but as I recall he has it say the promise three times, then notes in narration (or to a companion? I forget if he was alone in that scene) that he doesn't really have to specifically because fae can't lie.

[UmbraLux]

Anyway, my thoughts so far are to categorize the behavioral templates according to level. I don't have elements to add to all the categories, but the categories would be:

Won't comment on most of them except to say they appear to fit DF's novels fairly well.  However:

All Fae
- Fae cannot utter something they believe to be false, but saying something anyone else will think is a lie is just fine (i.e. Mab promising Harry he would not punish him for failing in Summer Knight... and then causing him pain out of spite - the pain wasn't because he failed - it was because she felt like it); note that they will exploit and twist this for all manner of deception.

Given some of the statements various fae make and, perhaps more importantly, the ephemeral nature of some fae, I tend to avoid the "incapable of lying" in favor of a different model. 

Fae society is all about obligation and "face".  (The Asian concept of appearance being reality seems appropriate...even though I misstate it a bit.)  Lying strikes directly at both of those - if they're found out, and it's known, they lose face, worse they've put themselves in debt to the one they told lies.  On the flip side, helping him deceive himself or jump to the wrong conclusions...that's all his fault.  Nothing you told him was incorrect...
 

- anything a fae or a human says three times is an oath and/or the sworn truth

Looks cool...and if you go with the version of lying above, it's understandable why forcing three statements is an insult.

- any mistruth or broken oath by a mortal against a fae is a toll upon the mortal oathbreaker's soul

Not a fan of this one.  Don't see the fae as having much to do with the concept of a soul...that's a mortal concept.

- Magically-Binding Contract: any deal with the Fair Folk will be upheld from their end, though they tend to respect only the letter of any deal they make. God help you if you fail your end of a deal. (God help you even if you don't!)
- any boon (gift, favor, etc.) received incurs a debt, which must be reciprocated in measure (though not necessarily in like kind, and a mortal is always welcome to accept a smaller boon if that is their whim, especially if it involves donuts)
- any boon received or recognized is implicit acceptance of debt
- any expression of thanks or obligation implies a boon
- debts are transferable between fae, particularly when the debtholder is temporarily or permanently unable to honor a particular debt

These look good, if a bit redundant.

- debts are carried on through blood

I'd say this depends on the letter of the agreement.  Eating a pastry won't carry on to descendants, making a bargain "for your family" will.

- never offer help without assessing a commensurate debt
- never accept gifts without returning a commensurate boon

Looks good.

- Fae (all unchanging creatures) have a Name that defines them - although their True Name doesn't magically make one able to command a Fae outright, it is a mystical link one could use with thaumaturgy, and since Fae rarely leave other sympathetic links around (read: never), it is basically the only way to use thaumaturgy on them at all; and thaumaturgy, having no upper limit in its power, IS a big deal and most Fae will do what is demanded out of fear their Name might be given to their enemies or otherwise used to harm the Fae.

I mostly agree, just wouldn't say it's the only way to get a symbolic link.

- Fae are not allowed (not can't, just not allowed) to violate free will (i.e. they wouldn't be allowed to just mindtrick you into doing stuff for them or killing you); if, however, you owe them for any reason (a broken oath, a debt, attacking them and so on), that protection is lifted and they can pursue their due in any way they want.

Sounds pretty much straight out of the novels. 

- Fae always act according to their nature - humans can choose or be persuaded to act contrary to their moods, character traits, duties and positions and suffer the consequences, but Fae can't; a fae bully will always be a fae bully, a manipulative fae will always be a manipulative fae and so on, even when acting so is stupid, harmful to them or both.

I both agree and disagree.     Yes, they act according to their nature.  However, they're complex (or at least the more intelligent fae are) so they may well deal with similar situations in a number of ways.  I try to handle this through aspects...write them to describe the fae's personality and then compel them...a lot.

Any thoughts or corrections?

Not sure I'd call any of that a correction...but maybe one or two additional ideas.

[computerking]

I'd have to check, but as I recall he has it say the promise three times, then notes in narration (or to a companion? I forget if he was alone in that scene) that he doesn't really have to specifically because fae can't lie.

I believe he was explaining it to Billy. And he had the malk repeat it ("it" being that he was to escort Harry's party unmolested to the Winter Lady) three times because if the malk was lying (implying that lying is possible to some extent), the thrice statement forces the malk to escort Harry's party unmolested to the Winter Lady, regardless as to whether it was originally true or not.

[devonapple]

Not a fan of this one.  Don't see the fae as having much to do with the concept of a soul...that's a mortal concept.

You're right: I was simply reminding the reader of a thing which the rules/fiction already establish as canon - I should probably have a page number and phrase it more as a reminder. But there is an almost supernatural component to Oaths and Bargains which Your Story explains more fully elsewhere - it's just not (as you explained) a function of the Fae so much as of mortality/free will/etc.

[devonapple]

I'd say this depends on the letter of the agreement.  Eating a pastry won't carry on to descendants, making a bargain "for your family" will.

I almost want to contest this one. It wouldn't be *fair* for eating a pastry to carry on to descendents. But that's a mortal understanding of fair, isn't it?

I both agree and disagree.     Yes, they act according to their nature.  However, they're complex (or at least the more intelligent fae are) so they may well deal with similar situations in a number of ways.  I try to handle this through aspects...write them to describe the fae's personality and then compel them...a lot.

Perhaps I split this out between common Fae and Sidhe, explaining that generally speaking, X applies to common Fae, while Sidhe, governed most by their natures, can (benefiting as they do from incredible breadth of experience and exposure to mortals) adapt to changing circumstances more readily than their common kin.

[devonapple]

I've made some edits to the main list!