Faerie Courts

The Faerie Courts are the largest and most powerful factions of faeries within the Fae Realms. Ruled by the Gentry of the Fae, and headed by the Faerie Monarchs, the Courts remain locked in multifaceted feuds with another. Sometimes they are openly, other times they wage odd contests, or exchange insulting poems on a mass scale. Generally speaking, the Courts tend to keep their conflict confined to the Faerie Realms, but occasionally it spills out into Earth or other regions of the Ether. On occasion, the Courts also involve themselves in foreign conflicts, either at the behest of mortals or other spirits, or simply due to the interests of Monarchs or other prominent courtiers.

## The Great Courts

### Autumn Court

Autumn's King is Emrhys, the Wise, a scholar and master of whisperers, who once walked the earth as a changeling, half fae, half mortal. The Autumn Court is the least involved in the affairs of the Tellurian, both grand and minor. Emrhys's realm of Mordu, and its vassal worlds, are the least filled with mortals of any of the Great Courts. Instead, Autumn's gaze more frequently falls upon the affairs of the Ether, and Autumn faeries are the most likely to interpose themselves in the dealings of demons, ghosts, numina, and other spirits of the Ether. Autumn's realms, though splendid, are not as alluring as those of Spring or Summer, but possess a quiet, tranquil beauty, where minds can remain in peaceful thought and contemplation for all time. Mortals who reside in the Autumn realms are most likely to be scholars, tricksters, and sneaks, whose talents are most respected by the Autumn King and his subjects, who primarily vie with one another for choice pieces of knowledge and information. Autumn is counted among the Unseelie courts.

### Spring Court

The Spring Court is led by Queen Titania, longest presiding of the Faerie Monarchs. The Queen of Spring is regarded by many as the least dangerous of the Faerie Monarchs, for she is known to be jovial, friendly, and matronly. Her realm of Anuin and the other worlds within her domain are peaceful and idyllic, welcoming to visitors and full of sensual delights. Few who venture there ever wish to leave, and that is just as is intended. Of all the courts, Spring is perhaps the most filled with Faerie Godparents, as the collection of treasured mortals is one of its most hallowed traditions. For this purpose, Spring maintains an active presence on the Tellurian, but does not spend as much time intervening in major events, as most Spring faeries prefer to set their sights on individual mortals. Spring faeries are counted as among the Seelie fae.

### Summer Court

The Summer Court is ruled by Oberon, the passionate and mercurial King of Summer, who is largely viewed as the most dangerous Faerie Monarch due to his mercurial nature. Centered in the Fae Realm of Avalon, the Summer Court involves itself the most frequently within the affairs of the mortal realm, as its King is always in search of new ways to amuse himself. Oberon's court is a place of feasts and frolics, his realm one of bounty and natural majesty. Mortals who end up in Avalon are often enraptured by its wild celebrations and endless parade of performances, games, and parties, as denizens seek to earn Oberon's favor by providing sport to amuse himself with. Summer faeries are classified as being Seelie.

### Winter Court

Winter is ruled by Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness. A harsh and austere beauty, Mab is known to be stern yet just, ruling her court with an iron fist. Winter takes a keen interest in affairs of both the Tellurian and Ether, but does not intervene with the frivolous frequency of other courts. When they do take a hand, however, Winter's fae devote their every finger towards twisting fate to their will. Most Winter faeries tend to be formal and prudent, due to Mab's preference for strict adherence to decorum. Winter's icy thronerealm of Imrelith and the planes that surround it are less hospitable than those of the other courts, being covered in perpetual winter, their landscapes gleaming with harsh beauty. Among the denizens of Winter, it is considered noble to collect mortals of distinction and talent, and as such, most humans who have been taken into Winter's realms have traits that make them stand out from other mortals.