The Venassi Lair Part 2

## Episode 35 - The FeyWild West

Lorelei Heyfield asks Venassi Library Keeper Tander Amblehollow about the Reaper and the Wanderer in White, two individuals who killed her husband. Amblehollow states that reports say Seline is a Fey and Talia is a lycanthrope. At Lorelei and Finn's disbelieving expressions, he says they're going to have to accept that there are "wild and unnatural" things out there. He continues, agents in the field from the Venassi and the 42nd have reported as well as the amulets the Venassi where. After initiation members are tattooed on the back and the amulet is bound to them and can record things just prior to their death. He takes them to the creature section of their library, containing reports and findings of Venassi members dating back 600 years before turning back to his work. Lorelei is able to find *Personages of the Feywild, Strange Creatures of Nightmare, Manners and Etiquette - Surviving the Feywild,* and *Kingdoms and Rulers*. While Finn finds *The Horrible Disease, Hunting and Tracking,* and *A Study of Behaviors.* At dormitories in their room, they sweep for listening devices and find one in in a vase. There is also a bear skin rug by the door that has been enchanted as a security measure. It would animate and smother someone trying to enter without using the knock code.

* *Manners and Etiquette* seems to not have been written a Venassi member. It was written by Bond Boldhollow, a priest and servant of the Crone with notes taken by Perrin Goldsheath. The book details his journeys through the feywild. The book was written before the Sundering. Although there are a couple different kinds of fey, they fall into two categories: animalistic and humanoid. Animalistic covers everything from polka-dotted bunnies to amorphous blobs of hair and fur that like to sleep under tree roots and try to eat passerbys. The book goes on to detail behaviors of every aspect of fey society humanoid and animalistic. It notes that about trade, that favors were given in kind. Anything done, anything given was reciprocated. It warned never to accept a gift unless explicitly stated that it comes with no binding and no favors needed in return. Never disagreed directly with a fey. It is seen as rude. Rudeness is often met with death. If it can be helped never ever eat the last piece of candy in a jar. If two pixies cross paths in front of you, turn back walk five paces before continuing on your original path. The book also stresses to never eat fairy food. If you do, you take on the role as guest and the fairy who gave you food as host. While guest right prevents the host from harming you, you can't leave until their hospitality wanes and fey love to host. Whether balls, parties, or tea, if they have guests, they will set aside important matters of State to attend to their guests. The author encountered someone who accepted this guest right who thought they had been there for a week but in truth has been there five hundred years prior to meeting the author. The author further suggests not to participate in fairy revels. Those who attend may lose time while dancing. It mentions several who danced for a hundred years. There are several instances where dancing is acceptable, such as if a dance is a matter of State because it then it might not last long. If a dances in celebration of a particular holiday never join it. The book strongly recommends keeping a mechanical timepiece with you in the feywild and to check on it regularly to keep your place in time but don't check it too often in the presence of fey because it's rude.

* *Creatures of Nightmare* by Locks Hornfleet, Venassi. It has some diagrams, descriptions of normal creatures with strange fey alterations like polka dots or butterfly wings. One example is a deer with tree branches with leaves and flowers cooking out of the ends instead of antlers. It seems that the books focus is on how to kill the creatures if encountered. One of the creatures detailed is the ape-like creature they encountered in the feywild. Of fey touched he talks about changelings. Fairy spawn that have been switched at birth with a child by their fey parent. They're then raised by mortal parents believing themselves to be mortal. The book suggests that they don't live long to adulthood because of a tendency towards mischief-making and crime.

* *Kingdoms and Rulers* another pre-sundering book by Lutha Stouthold. Eventhough feywild kingdoms are constantly shifting there are three that remain constant: Summer, Winter, and In-Between. There are also three realms: Night, Day, and Evening. There are seven rulers listed. The Bear King, Lord of The Hunt, the Moonlit King, the Queen of Night and Magic, the Queen of Witches (Nicneven), the River King and the Snow Queen. The Bear King has additional titles but also rules over Summer and Day. Lord of The Hunt is ruler of the Autumn and the Day. The Moonlit King is ruler of Autumn and the Night and shares his kingdom with the Queen of Night and Magic, his daughter who rules Summer and the Night. Queen of Witches is a ruler of Autumn, Summer and Evening. Although she is listed as a minor power. The River King is a ruler of Winter and Morning. The Snow Queen is a ruler of Winter and Night. Here, Mab and Titania are titles. Titania used to belong to the Queen of Witches, the Bear King and the Lord of the Hunt at different times. However the title of Mab is exclusively the Snow Queen's. In this book, the Prince of Twilight the Duke of Dusk and He who Stands Between are separate people. However the person described as He Who Stands Between sounds like the Broker. The Moonlit King has fought several times with his daughter but they usually make up. The Moonlit King is also very mischievous similar to a trickster god. Notable Lords & Ladies... Lord Longfellow, Lady Crystalkeep, and the Prince of Streams. The Prince of Streams is a troublemaker that like to start fights. The lady is an arbiter between Mortals and fey and in the distant past was a neutral third party in disputes. Lord Longfellow is known for entertaining guests and particularly love to play host.

* *The Horrible Disease* has the same author as *Creatures of Nightmare.* The book claims that there's some debate about the origin of lycans. One of the major theories is that lycanthropy comes from a wizard's curse but doesn't explain the different strains of lycanthropy. Another theory is that lycanthropy developed from something else that had shape-shifting ability like Druids. The book claims that lycanthropy spread with a bite that either kill the victim or bring the near-death. If the victim is strong enough the curse takes hold and heals them. The curse can also be passed by birth if both parents are lycanthropes and that shifters are the offspring of a lycanthrope and a non-lycanthrope parent. Shifters can only pass the curse to their offspring. The cures listed have to be applied within an hour of the bite. The most effective cure listed is a poultice made from wolfsbane. It goes into more detail the process of infection and is a more clinical and theory book.

* *Hunting and Tracking* is similar to the terrible disease except that it is more about the practical application of this knowledge. It says that it says that lycanthropes are deathly allergic to silver and that wolfsbane is a repellent. There are also some experiments on captured lycanthropes. The book is only two to three hundred years old. One experiment details captured lycanthrope and his family. He was forced to attempt to turn his wife which failed. His children who are shifters were also experimented on to see if they would react to silver and wolfsbane. They did to a lesser degree than their father. It also talks about tracking saying that lycans will tend to form social groups: packs, prides, etc. The exception is werebears who are generally solitary. When tracking a pack, it says to look for for a group that likes to stay secluded and tends to move as a group.

* *A Study of Behavior t*alks more about the group dynamics of lycanthropes. With the exception of werebears and wererats, most groups chose a leader, an alpha. For a pride that was observed, there was a second who handled most pack disputes and if they couldn't then the alpha would handle it. The second would also lead the hunting raids and be the alpha's advisor. The wererats that were observed acted more democratically voting on packed decisions and sharing responsibilities such as foraging etc. Werewolves almost never leave an area that they settle especially if they have a pack. Although lone wolves have been observed, who travel far and wide. In each observation the lone wolf was one that had alpha tendencies that clashed with their packs alpha and it was cast out. In many cases, the alpha's mate was the second.

## Characters

### Players

* Seline Argent-Grey
* Talia Argent-Grey