Fairy Magic is the magic of faeries, but also of those who live close to them and under their paradigm. The evil lord of a fairy-tale castle and the obstinate old man who refuses to accept the existence of fairyland can both be fairy magicians.
Fairy magic generally exists only in far-off places, and is most powerful in fairyland. This land is either a realm of dreams, a distant place, or another dimension, depending on who you ask. Anyway, it is never very far away, and you can end up there at a moment's notice if you are not careful. Entering fairyland is a harrowing experience for the uninitiated, as the faeries all live by very strict rules, but these rules only make sense to other fairies and to people with the mindset of children.
Fairy magic is powerful, but it obeys some very strict rules, you cannot cast a spell on just anyone. Breaking any of the rules of faeryland makes you a legitimate target of both faery scorn and faery magic.
Examples and References
Pendragon, The movie Willow, The Books of Magic comic, fantastic fairy tales in general.
Limitations
Bane
Fairy magic is prevented if you are in contact with iron. Small amounts of iron itches and causes you acute discomfort, but only a large item (such as a sword or rifle), manacles of iron or being inside an iron box or vehicle will prevent you from working fairy magic. Actuall faeries often have a severe Vulnerability to iron.
Hocus Pocus
Faery magic usually involves rythmes and dramatic gestures, and often strange powders or potions concoted from rare plants. Sometimes finding these can be a quest in itself - and such a quest can be a way to overcome the Target limitation, below.
Target
All fairy magic must have some just cause; it is impossible to directly affect a character through magic if the character refuses to accept it and has done no wrong. Magic that does not directly harm a character, such as trickery and glamour, can be employed freely, and is often used to entrap a victim before more insidious magic is used to take control of him. But if the target refuses to be mislead, he cannot be directly harmed or affected by magic.
Which causes are just is very malleable. Anyone breaking a geas or curse is fair game. Customs, even evil customs, must be obeyed. Any oath breaker can be ensorcerelled freely, as can those who have betrayed the customs of fealty or hospitality, even if their lord or host was unfair. Those who owe gifts or favors are fair game, as well.
If you fully fulfil the target limitation, you get an extra positive die on all your spells - just as if you has spent a Fortune die. This is a compensation for the severity of this stricture limitations on fairy magic.
Common Schticks
- Conjuration
- Doom
- Fertility
- Illusion
- Nature
Summonables
Fairy magic summons faeries and supernatural animals.