Seelie Court

The **Seelie Court** is the center of Seelie political power, and houses the Court itself, where courtiers gather and fae seek aid, as well as the Seelie palace, where the monarch(s) and their Inner Court, advisors, and servants reside. It is designed to be off-putting to Unseelie fae.

## Appears in

Major canon:

*Game Theory*

*The Court of Five Thrones*

*The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire*

*The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*

*The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague*

Canon extra:

*The Curse*

*Fae Tales - Alternative Perspectives*

## Titania's Reign

Zudanna stated that Titania's reign was part of a golden age. Titania's Seelie Court was apparently wealthy, as the Raven Prince's Unseelie Court was on par with hers in wealth magnitude. Seelie and Unseelie intermingled more freely during Titania's reign.

## The Oak King's Reign

The Oak King had a throne 'made of living tree' set on a high dais. His palace had 'scalloped tiles of conical rooves and the battlements which were there for show and the courtyards and gardens'. Gwyn ap Nudd called it a 'confection of turrets and spires' and a 'golden' court.

Seelie fae who weren't members of the court also had access to more of it.

## Gwyn ap Nudd's Reign

Gwyn intentionally ruined the Seelie Court when he transformed it - making it less appealing and accessible - to exercise his displeasure at being promoted to King.

In the Court proper, there was a mediation room, for managing disputes. Gwyn held open Court once every three weeks. The Court proper was otherwise an 'idyllic forest-like place . . . [with] sombre birds watching from the trees, flowers growing amongst beds of grass, giant, graceful trees reaching up to the unearthly, Otherworldly sky with their branches.' Groups of Seelie Court fae milled about vying for status increases. There was also an armory.

There was a spiral staircase set into the trunk of a giant oak tree on the outskirts of the Court leading down to the dank corridor of the dungeons. 'The dungeon itself was underground, held together by the giant, sprawling roots of the oak tree. Rooms carved out of loam and dirt were dank, gnarled with roots and rock, lit with strange filaments of phosphorescent fungi. It was – for the most part – the only light in the dungeons at all.'

The palace was set up in concentric circles, with the outermost being palatial rooms, and the innermost being Gwyn's personal rooms. In one corner there 'was a more formal space' with 'mossy floor to floorboards . . . [and a] long, panelled corridor. Arched stained glass windows let in a muted light which lent the hall a dim, melancholy air. At the end, in a small chamber lined with bookshelves filled with books'. He had rooms for his various interests, including one devoted to cartography. His primary bedroom had a large, powerful bed and a desk. There was also a kitchen and trow workrooms, including one where they cared for clothing. There was a room for the royal jewelry, filled with gifts for past Seelie monarchs. There were locked wall to ceiling cabinets on one wall, and pieces on display 'in glass cases on square plinths, every surface gleaming, crowns and sceptres and pendants and torcs and even a single piece of chainmail with faceted gems refracting the light.'

'Augus’ main room, where he slept, had two entrances. Gwyn entered off the long hallway with its stained glass windows, and then another door lead to a series of adjoined, private rooms.'

Gwyn designed his Seelie palace to match his tastes, and have 'a sense of the forest', so in one of the outermost circles he built a more forested area, which included a lake. 'The lake itself was enclosed within a space of trees and smooth, violet granite. The sky couldn’t be seen overhead, the canopy wove itself too thickly, giving privacy to him when he came here. The lake itself was deep, fringed with waterlilies and lotuses not now in bloom, with natural benches jutting out within the lake itself, and a gently sloping bank on one side, covered in moss and liverwort. It was an inviting space, a private one.' There was a bench set near the lakeshore, where someone could sit, partially submerged.

When Augus became healthier during his imprisonment, and spent more time with the lake, the lake and entire room it was in was transformed. 'It was lush, verdant. Lilies flowered in the water, and other flowers that he didn’t recognise blossomed nearby. Vines hung from the ceiling, the room was steamier and more humid than ever. The lake itself was half hidden by a screen of sedges, rushes and even a small tree with glossy, thick, dark green leaves. It was wilderness, smelling of loam, humus, chlorophyll. Tiny birds flittered through the undergrowth. A frog, jewelled with wet, brown skin and adorned with glowing brown eyes, croaked musically at him.'

When Augus grew enraged at being kept caged, he destroyed the lake, even beyond what it had been before Augus arrived. The foliage was destroyed and the lake itself was poisoned.

## Albion's Reign

Albion turned the Court back into a palace. When approaching the Seelie Court, one 'approached down a giant entryway –a broad, vast road covered in glittering, shining jewels. They were many-coloured and likely mined from the depths of the sea or recovered from the chests and safes of sunken ships.

The path was bordered with fields of flowers. Shrubs and trees twisted heavily bowered floral branches to the sky. The meadows, the path, the plants were bathed in a radiant, golden light, as though the sun was rising or setting nearby, sending warmth through the world.' The entrance had 'mailed, armoured guards at the huge double gates leading into the Seelie Court. They held giant spears across it . . . Beyond the gates, beyond the glowing, golden meadows of flowers, was an arched, blue bridge leading to a palace of pristine newness. It gleamed in pale blue and white, a confection of underwater architecture combined with above-ground building materials. Around the palace of towers and turrets, a giant moat that smelled strongly of saltwater.' Below the bridge, 'below the steep drop, saltwater fae swam curiously in the depths, looking up, talking to each other and pointing when they realised who had entered the Court.' The entrance to the Court was a set of 'double doors that looked as though they had been carved apiece from a single pearl of unimaginable proportions. Within, the paved ground changed to a mosaic of abalone shell, leading to the vaulted grandeur of the throne room. A single throne carved of deep blue coral in the centre'.

When Old Pete led Gwyn to Old Pete's office near the throne room, Gwyn 'was led down a stoa, a broad, rooved path framed with regular, grand columns on both sides. Rooms marked with arches were on their left, sprawling water gardens to their right. He could see many servants – all saltwater fae – but no one else of note. . . . Old Pete led him to a side room that appeared to be of no consequence and waved him inside. He entered a small room that held only a single, grey stone table with some documents on it. Two chairs on either side. There was another closed door behind the chair where Old Pete sat.'

The 'moat around the palace was salt water, it came directly from the Atlantic. It offered a conduit to all sea fae so that they might enter and exit the Court as well. Something no Court had ever offered before, or thought to offer, instead sealing themselves off entirely from all sea fae and forcing them to approach by the land.'

## Post-Destruction

After Olphix stole the power of the Seelie Court, the ice plague took it over. The castle itself was 'covered in ice, as though the ice had formed a clear serpent and snaked around it, twirling majestically until even the very tip of the highest turret had been covered. It glittered and shone under the blue sky, the bright sun. It gathered and reflected and captured the light, it sparkled like an edifice of glass. The Seelie palace had been utterly taken and destroyed.'

## Residents

* Former
	+ Albion
	+ Alysia mer Malakhy
	+ Augus Each Uisge
	+ Davix
	+ Gwyn ap Nudd
	+ Mera-Alane mer Malakhy
	+ Mikkel
	+ The Oak King
	+ Oberon
	+ Old Pete
	+ Olphix
	+ Oura Selich
	+ The Spider Queen
	+ Titania

## Folklore/Mythology

'In Scottish folklore, faeries are divided into the *Seelie Court* (more benevolent, but still dangerous) and the *Unseelie Court* (more malevolent).

The Seelie Court were described as those fairies who would seek help from humans, warn those who have accidentally offended them, and return human kindness with favors of their own. Still, a fairy belonging to this court would avenge insults and could be prone to mischief. The Unseelie Court, conversely, was used to describe the darkly-inclined fairies. Unlike the Seelie Court, no offense was deemed necessary to bring down their assaults.'

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 31 January 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2083339. Chapter 26: Family.
2. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 20 February 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/7438151. Chapter 31: Rupture.
3. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 5 January 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2257937. Chapter 35: Release.
4. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 26 December 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/6404462. Chapter 23: Confrontation.
5. ↑ not\_poignant. "The Curse.” *The Fae Tales Verse - canon extras. Archive of Our Own,* 4 August 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/2034456/navigate. Chapter 2.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 5 November 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2059069. Chapter 25: Soldier.
7. ↑ not\_poignant. "Deeper into the Woods." *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 12 April 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/3652500/chapters/8263456. Chapter 4: IV - The War General.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 20 June 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/3901096. Chapter 2: Orphan.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 11 August 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1791304. Chapter 3: Desperation.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 11 September 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1886908. Chapter 10: Display.
11. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 9 October 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1975510. Chapter 18: Slow.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 24 January 2016. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1775002. Chapter 2: Prologue.
13. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 7 September 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1877188. Chapter 9: Hunt.
14. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 21 October 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2011577. Chapter 21: Roleplay.
15. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 25 October 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2024572. Chapter 22: Stymied.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 27 August 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1843591. Chapter 6: Retaliation.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 12 December 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2171754. Chapter 31: Aftermath.
18. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 22 December 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2204791. Chapter 33: Invisible.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 14 May 2020. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17959874/chapters/58235365. Chapter 32: The Dual-King.
20. ↑ "Classification of fairies". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classifications\_of\_fairies. Accessed 24 May 2021.