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The Little People: A d20 Guide To Celtic Fairies

Most mortals fear fairies. They have a reputation for mischief and other trouble, and they wield strange magic. And yet, these diminutive beings are willing to coexist peaceably with humanity (most of the time, anyway). With the exception of the dreaded Unseelie Court in Scotland and the fiendish Gwyllion in Wales, most fairies can be seen as charming. They have a character all of their own, and they have fascinated human imagination for millennia.

Size
While fairies come in all shapes and sizes they tend for the most part to be small. Most are either tiny enough to fit in the palm of an adult human hand, or they stand about as high as a male human's knee. The smaller set tends to be more beautiful than their taller companions. While this is not a universal rule, the larger the fairy is the more likely that it will have a malignant disposition towards humanity.

Fairies are frequently referred to as "the Little People." Ironically, this has nothing to do with their size. It is the limitations of their powers. However, many people make this mistake.

Appearance
Despite their diminutive stature, most fairies look human. Good fairies are extremely beautiful, wear the finest of clothes, and have gossamer wings that allow them to fly. They often have luminous blonde hair and very fair skin, though this varies from region to region.

Evil fairies tend to be ugly in appearance. Their faces and bodies are reflective of their vile designs on human beings, and they use these contorted visages to invoke fear in their victims.

Magic
All fairies work magic of one sort or another. Some cast spells, others grant wishes, and still others weave illusions. They sometimes carry magical items to assist them in this work. In fact, at one time the word, "fairy," meant "enchantment." It later came to mean the people who used these powers.

All fairies share certain magical qualities that are collectively referred to as "Glamour." These properties shield them from the sight of human beings most of the time. It allows them to become invisible or otherwise remain unnoticed. Glamour operates as the basis for fairy illusions and generally prevents mortals from meddling in their affairs. It is not perfect, though, and lucky humans have been able to penetrate it and spy on fairies. Moreover, it does not last forever when applied. This is why fairy illusions such as turning leaves into coins ultimately break down. Most mortals spot a fairy when its Glamour unexpectedly cuts out.

In addition to being the means by which they remain hidden, Glamour also allows fairies to shape-shift. While its normal size is as a tiny, winged person, a fairy can assume the form of an animal or a fully-grown human being. They use these illusions for a variety of purposes, not the least of which is to infiltrate human society and then test people for good behavior. Once again, though, this magic can wear off and expose the fairy for what it really is.

Finally, all fairies have the ability to see through Glamour. While their magical powers may screen them from mortals or allow them to appear in other shapes and forms, they do not fool fairy eyes. The Little People see things as they truly are and are not misled by their own illusions or those of their companions.

Coming Soon
THE LITTLE PEOPLE: A D20 GUIDE TO FAIRIES is the ultimate game book on the fair folk. It explores the origins of the fairy myth and examines them by region. This is not some "bold, new vision" of the fey. These are the legends as they were perceived by the people who thought them to be real. THE LITTLE PEOPLE takes you region by region across the Celtic World looking at the differences and similarities between the fairies of each place. Statistical blocks for each kind of fairy are presented and so are complete write-ups of the most legendary fairies such as Oberon, Puck, and the Leprechaun. Written by John R. Phythyon, Jr., the award-winning designer who also crafted Avalanche Press's BLACK FLAGS: PIRACY IN THE CARIBBEAN and VLAD, THE IMPALER: BLOOD PRINCE OF WALLACHIA, this 64-page sourcebook for CELTIC AGE also provides a complete system for building custom fairies for your campaigns. Everything you need from new rules, new racial templates, special Fairy Feats, fairy Magic Items, and suggestions for how to use them in your campaign is included. They may be tiny, but you'll never think of the Little People quite the same way again.

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