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| Species | Acalica |
| Order | Faerie |
| Classification | Vaettir |
| Court | Summer |
| Sphere | Weather |
| Origin | All faeries are born Nameless and must be given a True Name; acalicas have storm names |
| Lifespan | 2,000 years |
| Habitat | Mountain caves |
| Food | Fish |
| Description | Acalicas appear to be smaller, old, wizened humans. |
| Procreation | Acalicas reproduce when hit by lightning. |
| Esoterica | Acalicas are beings of pattern aether, poioumenon, and dream energy. Like all faeries, they are users of The Tradition, a form of poioumenonic lore empowered by dream energies. They also use other forms of aether (especially currents, winds, seasonal, earthpower, white tiger, and temporal), mana, ethereal energy, Damaskian powers, fate, doom, tears, dumaqu, kor, yahas, spirits, and symbolism. |
| The Tradition | Acalicas have these basic fey powers:
An acalica can control the weather above them if they are underground and have a piece of lode. |
| Glamour | Acalicas can glamour themselves minorly using certain ancient rhymes. They usually use it to make themselves less noticeable if they cannot vanish. |
| Weaknesses | If they do not speak their True Name backwards into that same mirror in half a minute, acalicas lose their True Names. They have a fortnight to recover it or they become targets of the Wild Hunt, corrupted into another kind of fey, or turn into a hag or boggin. Iron or steel will bind an acalica into powerlessness. An iron horseshoe nailed over a door will bar an acalica from entering a house. Most acalicas detest tobacco smoke, and it can be used to stave them off. This is just a preference, however, and not a weakness. Brown aether can harm them. |
| National Culture | Acalicas live in small families in holes near the surface. They use their powers over the weather usually to bring rain or improve conditions for those who live above, in both cases intended to get fish for their families to eat, through pushing water into their caves or tribute for bringing good weather. This association has allowed them to live relatively unmolested by surface-dwellers. A typical relationship is one where the locals leave fish by the mouths of the caves with notes about what weather they want. The acalicas take the fish over night and bring the weather by morning. Amongst each their own nation, acalicas live in small tribes. These tribes live sustainably in semi-isolation, but every hundred years, they have an asamblea, or moot, where the tribes gather to discuss current issues and make decisions about trading, treaties with surface-dwellers, changes in the terrain, etc. They collectively make these decisions, voting on anything contentious. During this asamblea, which takes about a year to complete, political coalitions form, agreements are made, and relationships are established. Much courting happens during asamblea as well. Children are raised by the whole family and taught the basics of necessary crafts, weather control, and customs. By the age of 15, they are considered adults and take up working for the tribe. Gender is recognized but not generally rigidly defined. Because their adult appearance is that of an older human, acalicas effectively have progeria in terms of appearance. Acalica families celebrate family and individual achievements and anniversaries with small feasts and other celebrations, but these vary greatly between tribes and even families. Each tribe is associated with a different territory and a different fish, from which they derive the name of their tribe and the bulk of their diets and trading. |
| Summer Culture | Because of their isolated culture, acalicas are usually left to themselves by the Summer Court, existing in a formal trading relationship: good weather for good fish. This means their independence is respected, and they maintain their national culture even at Court. Those who do leave their caves to integrate into society usually end up being high ranking servants. |
| Other Courts | Acaalicas are highly valued in all courts for their power over the weather. Those who wish to trade their services to other Courts find themselves in a lucrative position and usually are able to live as hermits receiving tribute. Sometimes, the Unseelie, Unkindly, or Winter Courts will enslave them, but this is rare. |
| Mortal Interactions | Mortals almost never see acalicas, and if they do, the acalica usually flees. |
| Notables | Hyrana ban Moirame, Stormbeard |
| Special Classes | Truenobarba (weather controller mystic), Recolector (fish-gatherer), Cavador (digger/excavator), Intercambiar (traders) |
| Sample Stats | PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 7 AWA 9 WIL 9 ROG 9 Vanish (30 seconds) Glamour 4 Weather Control 17 |
GrandGuignol
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