Court of Solstice

Fae

The Solstice, also known as Disgraced Fae, are Fae who were never given the chance to Sain into a Court; refused that chance; were exiled from their Courts; or whose ritemaster's botched their Naming ceremories. Solstice fae are outcasts and considered scum, but they find work as couriers and mercenaries,

Overview

They are pitied by the Spring Court, disregarded by the Autumn Courtiers, hated by the Winter-kin, and publicly despised by the Summerfae. The main accusation aimed at the Solstice fae, however, is one of stupidity. The fact is that a fae who remains unSained and unallied with a chosen Court has no claim to the human realm once the War of Seasons is won.

Every Sained fae, even if they are not fighters or soldiers, believes that their Court's ideology is the truest and best plan for the new world order. In the face of such dedication and fanaticism, the Solstice fae simply shrug and declare no interest, no allegiance and no desire to partake of the final prize - the world itself.

The fact that most Solstice fae don't even hold oaths with humanity adds another layer of disadvantage to their situations. Oaths, in their most basic form, are shields against Echoes. Solstice fae, lacking even this basic defense for their unSained souls, are accordingly vulnerable in the human realm

The reputation of this faction is tattered further by slander of the Winter and Summer Courts, for both have inner factions that hold vague legends claiming the entire War of Seasons was started by a faction of Solstice fae known as the Coterie of Drail to be true. A few fae alive claim to have met Drail, even though their meetings with him would have dated many years of after the commencement of the war.

For all their perceived vulnerabilities, Solstice mercenaries are the hirelings of choice in the War of Seasons. It is safer to acquire the services of the Solstice fae over many Sained fae because the Court less have no predetermined or pre-sworn loyalties. As soldiers, diplomats, message-bearers, spies, ambassadors, the Solstice fae are in their element.

Of course, everyone has a price. The Solstice fae are no exception, and it's possible that a hireling will defect or betray secret information. This is always a risk for the employer, but many Solstice fae have earned their reputations for reliability through years of diligence, effort and conflict.

With such chaotic roots, it is hardly surprising that the Solstice fae are not divided equally among the three Origins. Firstborn are by far the most numerous, followed by inanimae and changelings. While not specifically rare, changelings are outnumbered by the other Origins due to the Solstice fae's lack of oaths and associated relations with humans. Solstice firstborn are notoriously proud and difficult to deal with unless a respectful attitude is shown. Many of this creed of Solstice-kin see themselves as the elite of the elite - they are true-blooded fae, above the limitations that Court-bound fae must endure. In fact, it is these fae in particular for the Oath-Truce to finally fall, so they can begin accepting military contracts in addiction to the negotiations and diplomacy. These tend to be the Solstice-kin that make the desirable and keen hirelings.

With the War of Seaons close to breaking out once more, and the Courts, factions and agendas swelling conflicting tensions and ideologies, it goes without saying that the Solstice fae will see a great deal of action before too long - either as instigators and mercenaries if they are shrewd and careful...or merely arrow-fodder if they are not.

Saining

For whatever reason, the Solstice fae are unSained. A Solstice fae might be undecided on which Court to join, or might have been expelled from his previous Court. Some fae choose to remain unSained to act as neutral go-betweens serving as diplomats, couriers, or mercenaries. Other fae are merely Solstice fae because none of the Courts will accept them, although such a creature must be pathetic indeed to merit such rejection. Unofficial (and powerless) faux-Saining rituals do exist among the Solstice fae, however. These frequently take the form of pledges and oaths to protect and work with other Solstice-kin. Depending on the local domain or the "ritemaster" in question, extra addendums on the rite might involve declaring a promise to work against a certain Court or faction, or laying down one's life before betraying the names of one's allies if captured. These mock-Sainings are usually only undertaken or performed by fae who sincerely dedicate themselves to remaining free of Courtly influence. In such cases, despite the lack of supernatural power to the ritual, they are seen as utterly serious declarations of allegiance. Among the Solstice fae who are aware of such things, these "unSainings" are known as pledges or promises

Oaths

As mentioned, it is the rare Solstice-kin who has his own oaths. Those who do are creatures to be feared and respected, for they are notable in that they are powerful enough to have forged those oaths on their own, unSained and untutored - or else they pre-date the Oathtruce and possibly even the Battle of Stone, and are therefore dangerous because of their ages. Despite their power, most of these self-forged oaths are relatively narrow in scope, involving simple deals of protection, privacy or mutual cooperation. They are rarely sworn with more than one person or family.

Strongholds

Scattered pockets of Solstice holdings do exist, although these are usually only the domains of a few minor, weak oathcircles. Most Solstice fae gather in the domains of other Courts (when they are accepted) and on the fringes of other Court domains (when they are not). Most holdings that are open to ambassadors and visitors from other Seasonal Courts are also open to Solstice fae, and a few that are closed to the other Courts are still open to the Courtless. Depending on the whims of both the local lord or lady and the domain's citizens, a Solstice fae can either find great demand as a hireling, or great abuse. Strongholds that under Patron control, which are steadily increasing in number all over the mortal realm, are always open and welcoming to Solstice fae. Indeed, the reason so many Solstice fae ally with the Patrons is because the seasonal members of the Patron Council do not tend to hold the same bias against the Courtless that is usually displayed in mainstream society. In a system of balance, the Solstice hold a unique place and the Patron strongholds value the unSained for their devotion to the middle path - the wisdom of the neutral way. That itself is balance of a kind.

Leaders

Currently, the many scattered and divided patches of the Solstice strength are united (if at all) under minor leaders, hired diplomats and unit sergeants. As a whole, the Solstice-kin have no candidates who stand out as strong leaders. The other Courts are used to seeing a strong-willed individual among the unSained emerge every once in a while to attempt to gather the Courtless into a cohesive alliance, but no attempt in recent memory has been even remotely successful. Some of the most ancient elders of the Courts are currently during their seventh or eighth "Drail returned" uprising; and the latest of these is interesting only for its timing. Anyone allied with the latest incarnation of Drail is wise not to declare such an association, for Lady Nicnivin is but one of many powerful fae who have ordered this newest Drail's death.

Mein

The Solstice fae tend to draw almost all of their mien attributes from their Origins, for with no Court Saining, they lack the Features acquired from such an endeavor. Some Courtless possess one or more of the aspects common to one of the other Courts, but it's rare for a Solstice-kin to appear too similar to any Sained fae. Essentially, when a fae forms their mien, their choices depend almost entirely on Origin and their perceptions of their surroundings. A Solstice fae in the Scottish Highlands might manifest Bush red hair and freckles, and skin with a hint of the deep gray of the surrounding Stony land, should he happen to come across such a human in such a loation when they choose to form their mien.

Echos

Echoes that effect the Solstice fae are often a bastardization of those that repel the Sained Fae. In addiction, local warding prayers or customs are known to repel some Solstice fae, such as garlic hanging on a door to prevent psychic attacks, or herbs sprinkled on a pillow to prevent bad dreams. Such folk remedies are often more than enough to affect the Courtless as Echoes, although it naturally depends on each individual.