Rules of the Fey (2024)

This fan-fiction article, Rules of the Fey, was written by Adalwulf of Aedirn. Please do not edit this fiction without the writer's permission.

This article, Rules of the Fey, is part of the Extended Ancient Pantheon Expanded Universe. It may not be consistent with other timelines.

Due to the effects of the Fog leaking over into the Realm from the Throne of the Source, words have power so much so that magical natural laws can into existence. The Rules of the Fey are a set of unspoken rules in the Realm of the Fey, known as Tir ná nÓg. Mortal humanoids are in great danger if they break any of these rules while in the realm.

1. Never say 'Thank you' to them. This phrase is taken as you are indebted to them, instead say 'I'm grateful', etc.
2. Never, ever accept a gift from a Fey. Or rather, one should be very careful with any gift that they are given if the giver is a Fey. If a person doesn’t trust the Fey who gave them the gift, it’s best to destroy it as strange new fey never give gifts without expecting something. And never, ever verbally say thank you for a gift. It implies that the receiver owes them something, like a food, your firstborn, or a favor (no matter how deranged).
3. Never lie to a Fey. The Fey hate liars that are not other Fey.
4. Always keep your word when dealing with a Fey. The Fey hate cheats or those who cannot keep their word that are not other Fey.
5. The Fey hate dirty water. In Tir ná nÓg one should never dump dirty water outside without warning any Fey (visible or otherwise) to move first, this could save your life or just save you from mischief.
6. Never brag about any interaction that you may have with them. A good example of this is the Brownie. The Fey like privacy and secrets, if you can't honor either of those you are likely to be targeted for bad interactions with them that may endanger your life or mildly inconvenience you.
7. Don't spy on them or capture their likeness without their permission. This is considered highly rude even taboo to the Fey and they hate it.
8. Never give them your name (Full or otherwise). Anyone who knows of the Aymm Rhoin, or Elven Naming Ritual knows that names are powerful seals and hold power, especially to a Fey. If a Fey asks for a humanoid's name and they say it, they’re giving them power (and possibly partial control) over them. The best thing to do in this situation is to give the faerie a made-up name or a nickname. However, if the humanoid knows their name and say it, they can possibly bind the Fey in service to them or make the Fey leave them alone.
9. Never accept food or drinks they give you. Eating Fey food or drink (which is normally enchanted) will do one or both of two things. First, assuming that a person is in the Realm of the Fae, Tír na nÓg then eating their food (or drink) will bind the person to that world and force them to stay there. Second, eating their food will make a humanoid no longer hunger for human food. Which means that the person will both starve unless they are taken care of by the Fae and never be able to return to a normal life.
10. The Fey hate Iron. Don't carry Iron on you unless you want them to avoid you.
11. Never stand in a Fairy Ring. Fairy rings are the rings of mushrooms that sometimes grow where a tree has died, and they’re also portals that highly powerful Fae have created to the realm of Tír na nÓg. So standing in them is a rather stupid idea. Even if a person is not teleported, they could get stuck in the ring, and time moves much slower in there. Centuries could pass outside, while seconds pass inside. And if a person is transported to Tir ná nÓg, they could be treated as their guest, or they could become their prisoner. Once someone eats the Fae’s food they’ll never be able to leave. In the worst (perhaps best case scenario) they will outright kill you for stepping in the ring.
12. Never be rude to a Fey, always be respectful and polite. Being inhospitable and selfish are frowned upon among the Fey. It is critical to meet their standards while in their presence. Punishments (especially in Tír na nÓg) for not doing so range from being pricked with sharp weapons for spying, to being given seven years of lameness for laziness, to drowning in a bog for being a bully. One must be polite when dealing with the Fey at all times, with one exception. (See rule #1)
13. Honey can save your life. All the Fey love honey, if you find yourself in trouble with a Fey, they may let you off the hook if you offer them some.

Notes[]

• The concept known as The Rules of the Fey are a purely fanon creation as such there is no official proof of this concept's existence in the Witcher works outside the fanon community.