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Fey Weaknesses?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
EscherEnigma
Dec 07, 2009 14:13:18 And I'm not talking about Wizard of Oz or bad fashion sense.

Anyway.

Working on a character for a game and I want some fey inspirations. So far things I'm considering including is a weakness vs. iron, the ability to be bound by a circle of salt, and unwilling to tell a lie. Any other traditional fey weaknesses that people can think of? Mostly I'm just looking for brainstorming/ideas.
#2
Shiftkitty
Dec 07, 2009 14:27:28 Crossing running water is an old one that is more commonly associated with vampires than with the fey, but it's there.

One sort-of-old legend says that evil spirits (faeires) can be kept out of house by the use of a screen door. You see, they have to come in through the door, but before they can, they have to count every hole in the screen before sun-up.

You could probably take any OCD and apply it to the fey. Did you see the X-Files episode with the red-neck vampire? When the vampire went into Mulder's motel room, he had to untie the laces on the shoes that Mulder had kicked off. That gave enough time for Mulder to come back into the room. In the ensuing fight, something got knocked over and NOW the vampire had to pick up each item that had gotten spilled and count them one by one. Imagine a fey along the lines of "Matchstick Men"; before opening a door, they have to open and close it three times, counting in a different language each time.

Some fey have to be verbally invited before they are allowed to enter someone's house.

While these aren't necessarily weaknesses, they are behaviors that can be added for fun.
#3
modern_iconoclast
Dec 07, 2009 15:07:00 Another funny way to protect yourself from Fey is to wear your clothes inside-out... I don't know if it's because it makes them laugh though..

Knowing its true name also had some effects, bounding it temporarilly to your will....

I feel a bit ashamed to mention it but Inkheart (2008), has some fey creatures and used the salt and other tactics against the evil ones.

-MawOfAcamar
#4
KillerGM
Dec 07, 2009 15:20:24 Counting things is a classic weakness of the supernatural (I like grains of rice, myself).

Being bound by giving your word - whether you mean to or not.

Not exactly fey, but you could tie in a tradtion: refusing a gift three times before accepting it.

Others might include: having to pay back a kindness (or an insult) in kind, not being able to refuse (or withhold) hospitality, fear/loathing of particular objects (not just cold iron) or beings, like cats, crows, signposts, etc.

It really depends on the nature of your fey character, IMO. One type of fey won't have the same specific weaknesses as another, you know?

But maybe I've played too much Changeling.

Speaking of which, here are some of the old bans/problems from Changeling:

Become physically weaker if you break your word.
Unable to tell the truth.
Always at the most "interesting" place at the most "interesting" time.
Cannot control your emotions.
Curse all the time.
Everything you ever make will have some kind of catastrophic flaw/weakness in it.
People will never feel "comfortable" around you.
Uncontrollable gossip

Hope that's a good start!
#5
Tony_Vargas
Dec 07, 2009 21:51:01 This is more Celtic than fey, but it could be helpful. Instead of inflicting a weakness or weaknesses on all fey characters, each fey has a geas a special personal taboo that will bring disaster or, at least, loss of some abilities, if it is ever broken. They're usually pretty odd. Some famous ones: never eat the flesh of a dog, never follow three reds into the house of the red, never refuse hospitality, never watch a woman washing clothes, etc.

You could give fey characters a bonus feat or special ability in return for a geas, for instance. When they break the geas, they lose the bonus ability, and take some nasty penalty for the rest of the encounter.
#6
pigknight
Dec 07, 2009 22:54:15 Have him always be in contact with a specific plush toy. I once used this for a lich but it seems quirky enough to be fey-like.
#7
owls_and_more_owls
Dec 07, 2009 22:58:20 I played in a campaign where faeries of the seele court (Important distinction) were unable to kill someone if they swore absolute loyalty to them. Much to the chagrin of the fae that was trying to kill them. Got us out of some tough spots it did; and into a whole new pile of tough spots, because faeries can be total dicks.
#8
Cpt_Micha
Dec 08, 2009 6:59:38 Hatred of a particular season, or aversion to it. Be it because of an inability to survive in it, personal preference or fey court affialation.

I've heard the screen door one before.

Another is a special hatred of demon kind.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 EscherEnigma Dec 07, 2009 14:13:18	And I'm not talking about Wizard of Oz or bad fashion sense. Anyway. Working on a character for a game and I want some fey inspirations. So far things I'm considering including is a weakness vs. iron, the ability to be bound by a circle of salt, and unwilling to tell a lie. Any other traditional fey weaknesses that people can think of? Mostly I'm just looking for brainstorming/ideas.
#2 Shiftkitty Dec 07, 2009 14:27:28	Crossing running water is an old one that is more commonly associated with vampires than with the fey, but it's there. One sort-of-old legend says that evil spirits (faeires) can be kept out of house by the use of a screen door. You see, they have to come in through the door, but before they can, they have to count every hole in the screen before sun-up. You could probably take any OCD and apply it to the fey. Did you see the X-Files episode with the red-neck vampire? When the vampire went into Mulder's motel room, he had to untie the laces on the shoes that Mulder had kicked off. That gave enough time for Mulder to come back into the room. In the ensuing fight, something got knocked over and NOW the vampire had to pick up each item that had gotten spilled and count them one by one. Imagine a fey along the lines of "Matchstick Men"; before opening a door, they have to open and close it three times, counting in a different language each time. Some fey have to be verbally invited before they are allowed to enter someone's house. While these aren't necessarily weaknesses, they are behaviors that can be added for fun.
#3 modern_iconoclast Dec 07, 2009 15:07:00	Another funny way to protect yourself from Fey is to wear your clothes inside-out... I don't know if it's because it makes them laugh though.. Knowing its true name also had some effects, bounding it temporarilly to your will.... I feel a bit ashamed to mention it but Inkheart (2008), has some fey creatures and used the salt and other tactics against the evil ones. -MawOfAcamar
#4 KillerGM Dec 07, 2009 15:20:24	Counting things is a classic weakness of the supernatural (I like grains of rice, myself). Being bound by giving your word - whether you mean to or not. Not exactly fey, but you could tie in a tradtion: refusing a gift three times before accepting it. Others might include: having to pay back a kindness (or an insult) in kind, not being able to refuse (or withhold) hospitality, fear/loathing of particular objects (not just cold iron) or beings, like cats, crows, signposts, etc. It really depends on the nature of your fey character, IMO. One type of fey won't have the same specific weaknesses as another, you know? But maybe I've played too much Changeling. Speaking of which, here are some of the old bans/problems from Changeling: Become physically weaker if you break your word. Unable to tell the truth. Always at the most "interesting" place at the most "interesting" time. Cannot control your emotions. Curse all the time. Everything you ever make will have some kind of catastrophic flaw/weakness in it. People will never feel "comfortable" around you. Uncontrollable gossip Hope that's a good start!
#5 Tony_Vargas Dec 07, 2009 21:51:01	This is more Celtic than fey, but it could be helpful. Instead of inflicting a weakness or weaknesses on all fey characters, each fey has a geas a special personal taboo that will bring disaster or, at least, loss of some abilities, if it is ever broken. They're usually pretty odd. Some famous ones: never eat the flesh of a dog, never follow three reds into the house of the red, never refuse hospitality, never watch a woman washing clothes, etc. You could give fey characters a bonus feat or special ability in return for a geas, for instance. When they break the geas, they lose the bonus ability, and take some nasty penalty for the rest of the encounter.
#6 pigknight Dec 07, 2009 22:54:15	Have him always be in contact with a specific plush toy. I once used this for a lich but it seems quirky enough to be fey-like.
#7 owls_and_more_owls Dec 07, 2009 22:58:20	I played in a campaign where faeries of the seele court (Important distinction) were unable to kill someone if they swore absolute loyalty to them. Much to the chagrin of the fae that was trying to kill them. Got us out of some tough spots it did; and into a whole new pile of tough spots, because faeries can be total dicks.
#8 Cpt_Micha Dec 08, 2009 6:59:38	Hatred of a particular season, or aversion to it. Be it because of an inability to survive in it, personal preference or fey court affialation. I've heard the screen door one before. Another is a special hatred of demon kind.