Fae Realm

The Fae Realm is an entirely incorporeal world of pure magical energy which exists parallel to the Mortal Realm. It is the place of origin of both the Fae Folk and all magic.

Unlike the Mortal Realm, where magic is either concentrated into souls or spells or else is merely a whisper in the air, the Fae Realm is full of magic. Everything from the air you breathe to the ground you walk upon is entirely made of it. Physical matter does not exist in this realm, but the air is so full of magic that souls can exist without a physical form to contain them, like spheres of oil floating in a bowl of water and refusing to dissolve. It is a world of pure energy and potential, where concepts inherent to the Mortal Realm such as time and space no longer apply.

## History

   Once, the Fae Realm and the Mortal Realm were entirely separate. There was no magic anywhere in the Mortal Realm; by extension, there were no creatures with souls (including humans). However, something caused the Fae Realm and the Mortal Realm to crash into each other, and the two realms fused together like soap bubbles. While there was still a clear separation between the Mortal Realm and the Fae Realm, they would be forever connected through an ever-changing metaphysical boundary between the two. Anywhere that these two realms met, magic would leak from the Fae Realm and into the Mortal Realm. Thus, magic entered our world, leading to the creation of souls.

Two interstitial “realms” were also formed when the Fae Realm and Mortal Realm collided: Fae Gardens and the Imagination Dimension

## Traits

Unlike the Mortal Realm, where magic is either concentrated into souls or spells or else is merely a whisper in the air, the Fae Realm is full of magic. Everything from the air you breathe to the ground you walk upon is entirely made of it.

This is your regularly scheduled reminder that mortals can’t go into the Fae Realm without having their soul ripped from their body and find themselves unable to return.

TIME WORKS DIFFERENTLY IN THE FAE REALM. ;)

## In-Between Zones

### Fae Gardens

Immediately after the Fae Realm and Mortal Realm collided, wellsprings of magic, dubbed “Fae Gardens,” appeared all over the world

Fae Gardens are located along the dividing line between the Mortal Realm and Fae Realm, and where magic leaked out. These spots are still technically located within the Mortal Realm, so Fae Folk still need physical forms to exist in this area. The reason you're more likely to see Fae Folk in Fae Gardens is the same reason you are more likely to find a kid playing in their front yard than three miles down the street (which is possible, but not a very consistent thing unless there's some other reason like a friend's house; the Fae example of this would be Ocean Man).

Fae Gardens are characterized by their surreal, otherworldly environments, combining both the natural world and a sense of something Other and unnatural, as if someone or something had intentionally sculpted the landscape in cryptic, beautiful ways. One of the best examples of this natural-yet-not style of artistry is the work of Andy Goldsworthy, who creates beautiful structures in nature. For reference, a catalogue of his works can be found here, and the tumblr post that inspired that initial connection is reblogged here. To quote my initial reaction to seeing his work: “If a human can do this, imagine what Fae could do!”

These locations are the closest most mortal beings can come to experience even a hint of the wonders of the separate, inaccessible Fae Realm... at least, in relative safety. Some of these places will move over time, leaving only an echo of magic behind, while other places have been stationary for centuries. It is said that all magic that has ever entered the Mortal Realm came through these sacred spots.

Meanwhile, on the night of Hallows' Eve, when all magic both good and evil are strongest, the Fae Realm envelops the Mortal Realm entirely. This turns the whole world into a temporary Fae Garden, affects all forms of magic in strange and fascinating ways, and then returns to normal the next morning.

While Fae Gardens are found all over the world, some regions had more than others, and nowhere experienced quite as much magical influx as the Feadhainn Valley, which would be completely covered by the largest Fae Garden in the Mortal Realm. Over time, the magic that flooded this isolated region caused the local flora and fauna to evolve into the magical creatures we see in Duilintinn today, such as the Cat Sidhe, Reaper Leviathan, Gremlins, etc. Eventually, the borders of this Fae Garden would retreat into the Western Forest, but the magic itself would remain deeply entrenched in Duilintinn’s environment. To this day, Duilintinn’s  the Western Forest remains one of the most well-known permanent Fae Gardens, not just in the kingdom, but in all of Tirónar. While not all locations within the forest are connected to the Fae Realm, the magic bubbling over and between both realms has made the entire forest a magically volatile place. You never know what you might find there…

### Imagination Dimension

Unlike Fae Gardens, which are spaces in the Mortal Realm that are heavily influenced by their proximity to the Fae Realm, the Imagination Dimension is located in both realms simultaneously, taking on the traits of both and neither.

Unlike the Fae Realm, physical matter does exist in the Imagination Dimension. This means that mortals can come and go from the Imagination Dimension without their soul being ripped away from their physical form.

Unlike Fae Gardens, mortals cannot simply wander into and out of the Imagination Dimension. Instead, they must be brought into or released from the realm by a member of the Fae Folk. This makes any attempts to study or intentionally explore this realm extremely difficult and dangerous, either because the Fae don’t feel like letting someone in or because those who enter never return.

Unlike the Mortal Realm, there is a much higher density of ambient magic in the Imagination Dimension, more similar to that of the Fae Realm. This particular detail has the most consequences upon the nature of the Imagination Dimension and how it differs from other realms.

First, it means that souls can exist and retain their identity without being contained by a physical form. As a result, Fae Folk do not need to create a physical body like they do when visiting the Mortal Realm, but they could put one on if they wish to.

Second, it completely negates all Laws of Magic for any beings that exist within it. Existing in this strange dimension allows mortals to wield incredible powers, completely unlimited by the Laws of Magic or their own magical prowess.

Third, and most significant, however, the longer that a mortal stays in the Imagination Dimension, the longer their soul becomes acclimated to the Fae Realm. While the Imagination Dimension allows mortals to keep their physical forms, it also allows mortals to shed them, existing as the Fae do without any physical form to hold them back. Oftentimes, souls who spend too long in the Imagination Dimension will drift away from their bodies as they get swept up by all the magic and abilities they possess in this realm. Once they let go of their physical form, however, that body is gone for good, and they can never return back to the Mortal Realm as they once were.

Since mortal souls cannot leave the Imagination Dimension without the help of a member of the Fae Folk, one of several things could happen to a soul that has drifted away from its body in the Imagination Dimension. If they are allowed to leave the dimension and enter the Fae Realm, they often become members of the Fae themselves. If they are allowed to leave the dimension and re-enter the Mortal Realm, they will pass on like any other soul whose physical form has died.

If, however, a member of the Fae refuses to let the soul out of the Imagination Dimension, they can be forced to just drift around forever trapped in limbo between the Mortal Realm and the Fae Realm, with all the powers they desire but no way to pass on or return home. Some of these souls will actually use the magic of the Imagination Dimension to craft seemingly real physical bodies for themselves; however, if they find themselves outside of the Imagination Dimension, the illusion will dissipate and the soul will disperse and pass on.

*Please note that the Imagination Dimension is considered “deep lore” for the purposes of this AU. Its primary canonical significance to the story lies with the nomadic Fae Cult of Fasithe, which has little connection to Duilintinn beyond some minor backstory importance to certain characters. There is a side story written by some of the folks on discord relating to this dimension, as well as a chance that this realm will play a larger role in the story in relation to The Enemy’s magic, but otherwise, I’d rather keep this dimension in the category of “super deep lore” rather than bring it headlong into the main story.*