 |
|
| Species | Tuath (tribe or people) |
| Order | Faerie |
| Classification | Vaettir |
| Court | Seelie |
| Sphere | Time |
| Origin | All faeries are born Nameless and must be given a True Name; tuatha have historical names. They evolved from elder elves. |
| Lifespan | 2,000 years |
| Habitat | Flowering fields |
| Food | Light human fare, especially honey |
| Description | Tall, fair folk with pointed ears, green, blue, or sepia eyes, and red, blonde, or brown hair. |
| Procreation | The tuatha reproduce sexually with each other and other fey. With vaettir, it follows the birthing parent. |
| Esoterica | Tuatha are beings of temporal aether, ancestral memory, 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 almost every other form of esoterica except brown aether. |
| The Tradition | Tuatha have these basic faerie powers:
Tuatha have a bond to their ancestors, from which they draw skills and powers, by reciting the True Names of their ancestors during meditation. Many tuatha have the ability to shape the weather by breathing onto a mirror and marking the condensation with their fingers. Many tuatha can infuse weaponry and tools with special powers by telling relevant tales during the making of such. A mother tuath can protect her children by marking them with her moonblood the first time it comes after she gives birth. Every tuath is taught the True Names of their most legendary ancestors so that they may meditate and access the powers of those ancestors. These powers are
A tuath can only hold onto these powers for a fortnight; they can only invoke one Name at a time. Tuatha are buried in passage tombs, multichambered graves dug with a passage into them. Those related to the buried tuath can use these as portals that will bring them out from another passage tomb miles away, in times of danger, if they invoke the Name of their buried ancestor. Tuatha can also build ships made of wood, clouds, and stone. |
| Glamour | Tuatha can glamour themselves using certain ancient rhymes. |
| Weaknesses | If they do not speak their True Name backwards into that same mirror in half a minute, tuatha 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 a tuath into powerlessness. An iron horseshoe nailed over a door will bar a tuath from entering a house. Most tuatha detest tobacco smoke, and it can be used to stave them off. This is just a preference, however, and not a weakness. Brown aether will harm them. |
| National Culture | Every tuatha is taught the True Names of their most legendary ancestors so that they may meditate and access the powers of those ancestors. The tuatha have four legendary treasures in their four legendary cities. In Falias, the Stone of Fal clamored under any who were king in the land of flowers and honey. In Gorias, the Spear of Lug resided. The bearer and his companions were unbeatable in battle. In Murias was claiomh solais, the Sword of Light, a burning brand that could not be resisted nor defended against, and in Finias the Cauldron of Dagda fed all to satisfaction. On First Shem, the tuatha were killed in the Eschaton, but after Starfall, the Last Elves revived them. The new tuatha were able to invoke their lost ancestors through ancestral memory and rebuild their culture. On First Shem, the tuatha came from the Summer Country via cloudships. In a territorial dispute during which their ancient king Nuada lost his arm, they displaced the fir bolg. Eventually, they, too, were displaced, but they settled elsewhere in a land of honey and flowers not long after, building four legendary cities. The tuatha honor the arts, crafts, medicine, sciences, and skilled trades. Among them are great guilds that protect these trades. These guilds have enormous power, but the main power among the tuatha is the royal family, descended of the legends of the past. They usually name themselves for their ancestors. The royal family is led by Queen Danu, the Manifest of the tuatha of First Shem reborn after Starfall on Second Shem. She rules over a feudal-mercantile society where merchants and guilds struggle with her for control. The peasants and workers, however, simply toil. Children are raised by their families and given Names of ancestors to meditate on very early, in the hopes that some powers will stay (this occasionally works). The wealthy and nobles send their children to schools. By the age of 25, all tuatha are considered adults; the lower classes begin working at even younger ages (usually by 14). At 25, they can inherit land, wealth, and trades. Marriage is arranged among the nobility and sometimes among the guilds classes. Among peasants and workers, marriage is informal; non-monogamy is more common. Gender is loosely defined and not heavily policed, though reproduction is encouraged as the tuatha have a low birthrate. Lower class tuatha gather regularly on the commons, enjoying their rest and socializing. They have two days off each week to do this, even the peasants and servants. On these days, the upper classes usually rest and retire, but when a festival or feast day falls on these off days, they join the commoners. Team sports, picnics and other community meals, performances, theatricals, recitals, and other recreations are common on these days. The upper classes are engaged in constant political struggle, but all power derives from Queen Danu. Few ever rival her... |
| Seelie Culture | ...except The Queen of the Seelie Court, Queen of All Faeries. On First Shem, the tuatha maintained independence from Tir Na Og, but after the revival, they were weakened and indebted to The Queen. Queen Danu swore fealty. She was allowed to keep her title as Queen, but at the Seelie Court, she is known as the Archduchess Danu. The feudal-mercantile structure under her reflects that of the sidhe, and the two systems exist next to each other with the occasional conflict. The rank, title, and class of each tuath is respected in the Seelie Court. |
| Other Courts | Tuatha who leave the Seelie Court usually go to the Summer Court or the Kindly Court. Peasants and workers seek the Kindly Court for its more equitable structure; nobles and guilds folk go to the Summer Court at times to escape the more dangerous politics of the Seelie Court. Few ever go to the Unseelie Court, but those that do usually do so because of ruthless ambitions and powers that make them suited to the Unseelie; their dread cousins often welcome them if they prove themselves. If not, they are enslaved. The Winter Court is similar, but less welcoming and more rarely chosen by a tuath. The Unkindly Court usually kills them or enslaves them. |
| Mortal Interactions | Tuatha view mortals in a patronizing manner. If a mortal comes to their lands, they are usually distracted and sent away unless they are powerful or bring gifts. A tuath in mortal lands will try to impress those around them so that they might gain favor and rank and respect quickly. |
| Notables | Danu, Queen of the People; Kenos Andurian, Archmage; see above list under The Tradition |
| Special Classes | Shipwright, Cloudsailor, Stormshaper, Tombsman, The Nobility, Guildmaster, Airgead (silver-arm), Lugslea (spearman), Capall Geal (horseman), Daughter of Brig, Daughter of Morrigan, Dagdan, Smith |
| Sample Stats | PRO 11 ATH 9 STR 9 AWA 11 WIL 11 ROG 9 Vanish (30 seconds) Glamour 11 Steed Summon9 Weather Control 9 Weapon Infusing 9 Child Marking 9 Shipwright 9 Other Powers [Varies] |
GrandGuignol
Copyright © by the contributing authors. All material on this collaboration platform is the property of the contributing authors. Ideas, requests, problems regarding Foswiki? Send feedback