The faeries of Tirinnoc

Clan: Worldreacher
Motto: Nothing exceeds our grasp
Overview: Thought of as the most prestigious and powerful of the clans, and also one of the most ruthless. Deceit and murder in order to become the head of the family is not uncommon here, and news of the clan's various scandals is one of the more popular forms of entertainment. Despite this, the group is a force to be reckoned with.

General appearance: All Worldreachers are, as a whole, fairly tall with blonde hair and blue eyes (rumoured to be a result of interbreeding throughout the clan's history). Ears are long and slender, pointing straight out from the side of the head. They're fond of decorating their hair with large beads and other ornaments, or styling it in unique fashions.

Transformation: Worldreachers can shift into snakes, or take on reptilian attributes for a partial transformation. If they are unable to transform even partially, often a lower-ranked clan member will be transformed permanently into snake form to serve as the fae's guardian.

Charming technique: Worldreachers charm their victims through their bite, which has sedating properties. Once someone is injected with Worldreacher toxin they become content and listless, and incredibly open to suggestion. Like ordinary hypnosis this state can be broken with enough willpower, but it's so difficult that being released from this state by the original fae or through application of iron is more common.

Special ability: As the clan name suggests, these fae have the ability to travel through space (including other dimensions), through the use of portals. Those will less skill in the art can only portal to areas they/the client has seen or visited previously, or where someone they know resides. More practiced fae can incorporate portals into combat techniques, creating an unpredictable and hard-to-dodge volley of blows.

Notable figure: Adam Worldreacher - A half-fae and bastard child of the former clan leader, Lamia, and a human man, Adam was locked away as part of a long-standing plan by his sister to claim the throne for herself. Thanks to the interference of a human girl, Adam was able to escape his bonds, slay his mother, and eventually lead the Worldreacher clan after a long and violent civil war.

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Clan: Songheart
Motto: Music kills all despair
Overview: While not as "in the spotlight" as other clans, these fae are one of the most influential, being responsible for relaying news and messages throughout Tirinnoc. Any notable group of fae will have at least one Songheart to serve as an adviser, messenger, or negotiator, due to their skill with words.

General appearance: About the only constants between members of the Songheart clan are their short ears, messy hair and light frame. Otherwise, things like hair, skin and eye colour will vary based on what they specifically transform into. Uniform-wise, in humanoid form clan members will often have small feathered wings that appear to be tied to their back with string. This serves to help distinguish themselves better from other fae.

Transformation: Songhearts are associated with birds, and have the ability to transform into them at will. Each clan member has one (and only one) type of bird species they can become, though this has little to no standing on their rank within the clan itself (instead focusing on experience and skill at using the powers as a whole.)

Charming technique: Songhearts will attempt to charm a target through the influence of their voice. While this is relatively easier to fight off than, say, Worldreacher venom, vocal charms can also be used long-distance, and are more persistent than a one-use attempt. Clan members focus more on subtlety with their charms, preferring to have victims feel as if they're following the suggestions naturally (and thus less likely to fight the influence off).

Special ability: Musical skills aside, Songhearts can also forsee the future - or rather, the likely outcomes and natural conclusions of specific events. It can be hard to control, and only those who have a natural talent with this power are considered for leadership, but when used properly these fae can maneuver events and conflicts to their liking. They may not be able to predict what you'll have for breakfast tomorrow, but they can find out what happens as a result of three specific people getting together to discuss a peace treaty at a specific place and time.

Notable figure: Finch Songheart - One of the clan's youngest members, this fae's gift for seeing the future has caused him to be groomed for future leadership of the entire clan. He doesn't yet understand this responsibility... nor does he wish to, instead preferring to explore the land and meet all the strange people and things that he can.

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Clan: Panacine
Motto: Life above all
Overview: While not a politically powerful clan the Panacine are one of the oldest, and critically important to day-to-day life in Tirinnoc. Aside from their duties as healers, members of this clan are trained as hunter-gatherers, giving other clans food and supplies in exchange for needed goods or services. They rarely take place in combat due to their status as a community backbone, and attacking a Panacine unprovoked is viewed as a serious offense.

General appearance: Despite varying heights, all Panacine have slender builds, golden eyes, and hair that corresponds to their fur when transformed. Males will usually display antlers while in humanoid form as another form of status, while females make do with their deer-like ears. Jewelry is a popular item among the clan, with younger members experimenting in body modifications gleaned from studying humans.

Transformation: Panacine can transform into deer, probably bringing about their nature in human mythology as representing both hunters and nurturers. As a Panacine grows older or more powerful, their coat will change from brown to white. The clan leader's fur will always be a radiant silver, to indicate the great power and responsibility they hold.

Charming technique: Panacine charm the target through touch, and their variation on the ability is seen as one of the most powerful. As long as physical contact is maintained (and for several minutes afterwards), the affected subject will do anything and everything the fae asks. Luckily, the clan's status and mentality as healers is usually enough to prevent them from misusing this ability.

Special ability: Panacine are skilled in medical knowledge, and their power centers around restoring life energy to afflicted parts of the body, healing all but the most critical injuries. Since this is often very draining on the Panacine performing the treatment, a combination of practical and magical arts is used most often for the best results. They are also able to regenerate to some degree, leading to the theory that they use their own life force to heal others.

Notable figure: Rowan Panacine - A high rank in the clan, this fae travels through Tirinnoc as a scholar as well as a medic. Despite the controversy of studying the work of humans, he's well-known for several major discoveries and studies. His current experiments focus around iron alloys like steel, and whether they can be safely used by faeries.

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Clan: Blademail
Motto: Blood for the King/Queen (delete whichever is inappropriate at the time)
Overview: The Blademail clan, despite being smaller in size and status, is best known for its warrior mindset. In times of conflict they're hired out as mercenaries, often to both sides, but they have no issue with the possibility of fighting their own kin. Otherwise they serve as bodyguards and security forces to the other clans.

General appearance: Blademail fae are actually the inspiration for "flower fairies," with their small stature, dainty appearance and insect-like wings. This is where similarities end from the romanticized version, though: the Blademail often wear plate armour taken from their own transformed states, decorating them with paint and engravings, as well as mementos of past battles. Their ears are long and pointed, going straight up instead of to the side like Worldreachers.

Transformation: These fae relate to the insects, transforming into them as their alternate form. While not impressive at natural size, this can be combined with their clan ability for intimidation along with combat strength. Blademail fae are often seen in half-human, half-insect form, as it is suited for both fighting and everyday use.

Charming technique: Blademail do not actually charm victims as other fae do. Instead, they release a special pheromone that makes someone more aggressive and violent when inhaled. Some think that this type of "charming" is what caused Blademail fae to be so violent... others think that this is so they are never wanting for opponents. Blademails could not care less as to which theory is correct, and no one has tried finding out.

Special ability: This type of fae has the ability to change their size, growing and shrinking to whatever suits their fancy at the moment. While not as impressive or flashy as other fae clans, this suits the Blademail well, especially in combat. Not only is there the intimidation factor of dozens of giant insects running towards your army, but they retain the relative strength and lifting power that their species has.

Notable figure: Vesper Blademail - One of the most aggressive and ruthless fae you'll ever meet, Vesper does not actually answer to her clan leader. Exiled for high treason, she fought her way out of an attempt to banish her to the human realm, and now drifts through the country taking on jobs for whoever will pay. And if you cannot pay her off, run. Far and fast.

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Clan: Rainwraith
Motto: All things wash away
Overview: Probably the most enigmatic of the clans, Rainwraith live in and around the water, rarely meeting up with the other varieties. They're a neutral clan, but also some of the biggest tricksters, using their abilities to lure prey and unsuspecting travelers into their grasp. They are not dishonest, though: make a deal with one, and they WILL help you... for the most part.

General appearance: With webbed hands and feet, gills, blue to green-ish skin and a penchant for nudity, Rainwraith fae are set apart from any other group. Another noticeable thing about the clan is that they adore accessories, and anything that may be offensive without clothing is often covered up by belts, ribbons, scales, and other things relating to their transformed states.

Transformation: As Rainwraiths reside in the water, they can take on the form of any creature who also lives in it. This earns them the reputation as the clan most varied in shapeshifting, as they can become fish, amphibians or even aquatic mammals. Each fae still has only one animal they can transform into, but the variation is notable even compared to the Blademail clan's insect forms.

Charming technique: These fae rely on visual tricks and illusions in order to confuse and manipulate a target. By manipulating water and how it catches the light, combined with the thoughts of the target, Rainwraiths can create incredibly convincing mirages and visions. If the target is near or touching a source of water, these illusions can even be felt and manipulated... at least until they lure the hapless fellow into the fae's domain or off a cliff.

Special ability: As mentioned in the "Charm" section, Rainwraiths have the ability to control and manipulate liquid. This is more dangerous than one may think: water can boil, milk turn sour instantly, blood come to a stop mid-heartbeat, and entire rivers being sent at you in a blast of pressure strong enough to shatter rock. It's only luck that these fae instead choose to use their skills mainly for mischief.

Notable figure: Marina Rainwraith - An ambassador for the clan, Marina is responsible for keeping up good relations with the other fae, along with offering tributes as apologies for the latest prank-turned foul. Some will tell you that she incited most of those events in the first place... but the fact remains that she's one of the few Rainwraith willing to discuss with other clans.

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Clan: Common
Motto: n/a
Overview: Your basic stock. Average, run-of-the-mill fae without official clan ties. While still formidable compared to humans, most groups of these fae often look to one of the main clans for protection in exchange for a portion of their harvest/income/goods. If a common fae marries into or otherwise joins a main clan, their appearance does not change, but they gain a weaker version of the clan abilities. Their offspring, however, will be a full member of the clan.

General appearance: With no affiliations, common fae are the most varied in build and appearance, much like humans. Their ears are long and pointed like the Worldreacher and Blademail clans, but shorter, and jut out from the head at more of a 45-degree angle. Families that have served a specific clan for several generations may take on some minor traits of said clan.

Transformation: None, though their glamours let them change their appearance slightly.

Charming technique: Your average fae can create small charms and glamours, affecting the mind of their target. Really, though, it's not very effective, and anyone who's aware of the manipulation can break free of it.

Special ability: None, unless you count the ability to appear human for sake of interaction and trading. Many Common fae did this in ancient times, in order to better understand their dimensional counterparts and acquire human trinkets (thought of as a great rarity and prize in Tirinnoc).

Notable figure: Conall - Rowan Panacine's traveling companion and aide, he is a legend for being the only full-blooded fae to handle iron for longer than a few seconds and survive. While still painful to wield or be struck by it, this natural resistance is being studied by Rowan, in order to develop a way to protect more fae from the metal's effects.