There are six major courts of Faerie, and they are sometimes used interchangeably.
(The Seelie Court is like Summer and Spring combined, with a twist of really "evil" .
The Unseelie Court is like Winter and Autumn combined, just more "evil")
Once upon a time, there was just Faerie with a Faery Queen (and King I believe.. maybe), and all inhabitants lived in this "City of Everlasting Change." One could say they were the original Seelie Court. One day there was an uprising. Groups of Fae no longer wanted to be part of the entirety of Faerie. They wanted to hold a hierarchy of their own thus branching off from Faerie. These Fae were the beginning of the Unseelie Court. I think monarchs are able to reign for 1000 years. This time can be extended if the people of their court agree to their reign (in Faerie time).
The Winter Court represents what people see as the malevolent side of the Fae. The fae of this court frown upon humans. They're more inclined to talk about their ope cruelty. This makes them look none other than evil, however one chooses to define evil. The Winter Court has free reign over winter solstice and autumn equinox months, and are strongest during that time. By and by, the fae of this court are sensible, chilled, dark, baleful, and what have you. They are the epitome of winter.
The Spring Court is seen as the much "calmer" ones to the benevolence of the Fae compared to Summer. The fae of this court are generally polite and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. These fae are more apt to lure humans in with sweet dew. They also have blossoming curiosity. The Spring Court is strongest during the ends of winter and throughout the spring season, despite the Summer Court having reigned. These fae are peppy, quiet, seductive, emotional, and vernal obviously. The epitome of spring.
The Summer Court represents what people see as the benevolent side of the Fae. The fae of this court are generally considered more polite or mannered, albeit they are still very capable of cruelty (but will be more hush-hush, or subtle about it). The Summer Court has free reign over summer solstice and spring equinox months, and are strongest during that time. Needless to say, the fae of this court are frivolous, venereal, hot-headed and what have you. They are the epitome of summer.
The Autumn Court is seen as the equally malevolent side of Fae in comparison to Winter, but much more middling. The fae of this court are generally the ones doing the "dirty work" and "trooping". However, these fae can have much nicer sides than any of the Fae and return great favors. The Autumn Court is strongest during the ends of summer and throughout the autumn season. These fae are strong, mystique, eerie, ravishing all the same, and devious. The epitome of autumn.
The Summer Court and Spring Court are closely associated with the Seelie and The Winter Court. T Autumn Court is closely associated with the Unseelie, but they are separate courts. They each have different roles and regulations. When they are used interchangeably, people just clump them together as ONLY Seelie or Unseelie. They are not different names for Seelie and Unseelie; people just tend to see it that way.
The Seelie Court is seen as more beneficent toward humans. Seelie means "Blessed" or "Holy" and is akin to German selig and Old English sælig. The modern word, "silly" which can be understood as happy, harmless, or beneficial. In Irish it is spelled seleighe. The fae of this court are known to seek out humans to warn those who had accidentally offended them in one manner or another, and to return human kindness with favors of their own. Fae don't like to be in debt. Even so, a faery belonging to this court will most definitely avenge insults and are prone to much mischief. The most common time of day to see them is twilight and sometimes dawn.
The Unseelie, the "Unholy" or "Unblessed" Court consists of the malicious and more evilly-inclined fairies. Unlike the Seelie Court, offense is not necessary to bring down their foes or anyone they choose to bother for that matter. As a group, or the 'host' as we Fae call it, they appear at night and assault travelers either 'physically', emotionally, and/or mentally– especially spiritually ignorant folk. Like the faeries of the Seelie Court, neither are the faeries of the Unseelie court always evil. However, when one of them is forced to choose, they will naturally prefer to harm than help.
The categorization of fairies based on court is whether or not a fairy is light or dark. The Seelie court are known to seek help from humans, to warn those who have accidentally offended them, and to return human kindness with favors of their own. Still, a fairy belonging to this court will avenge insults and could be prone to mischief. The most common time of day to see them is twilight. Other names for the Seelie court are 'The Shining Throne' or 'The Golden Ones' and 'The Summer Court'. Seelies are known for playing pranks on humans and having a light hearted attitude, forgetting their sorrows quickly and not realizing how they might be affecting the humans they play pranks on.
The Unseelie Court consists of the darkly-inclined fairies. Unlike the Seelie Court, no offense is necessary to bring down their assaults. As a group (or "host"), they appear at night and assault travelers, often carrying them through the air, beating them, and forcing them to commit such acts as shooting at cattle. Like the beings of the Seelie Court who are not always benevolent, neither are the fairies of the Unseelie Court always malevolent. Most Unseelies can become fond of a particular human if they are viewed as respectful, and would choose to make them something of a pet. Some of the most common characters in the Unseelie Court are Bogies, Bogles, Boggarts, Abbey Lubbers and Buttery Spirits. The division into "Seelie" and "Unseelie" spirits was roughly equivalent to the division of Elves in Norse mythology, into "light" and "dark" distinctions.
In the French fairy tales as told by the précieuses, fairies are likewise divided into good and evil, but the effect is clearly literary. Many of these literary fairies seem preoccupied with the character of the humans they encounter.
The Welsh fairies, Tylwyth Teg, and the Irish Aos Sí are usually not classified as wholly good or wholly evil.
The Unseelie Court is like Winter and Autumn combined, just more "evil")
Once upon a time, there was just Faerie with a Faery Queen (and King I believe.. maybe), and all inhabitants lived in this "City of Everlasting Change." One could say they were the original Seelie Court. One day there was an uprising. Groups of Fae no longer wanted to be part of the entirety of Faerie. They wanted to hold a hierarchy of their own thus branching off from Faerie. These Fae were the beginning of the Unseelie Court. I think monarchs are able to reign for 1000 years. This time can be extended if the people of their court agree to their reign (in Faerie time).
The Winter Court represents what people see as the malevolent side of the Fae. The fae of this court frown upon humans. They're more inclined to talk about their ope cruelty. This makes them look none other than evil, however one chooses to define evil. The Winter Court has free reign over winter solstice and autumn equinox months, and are strongest during that time. By and by, the fae of this court are sensible, chilled, dark, baleful, and what have you. They are the epitome of winter.
The Spring Court is seen as the much "calmer" ones to the benevolence of the Fae compared to Summer. The fae of this court are generally polite and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. These fae are more apt to lure humans in with sweet dew. They also have blossoming curiosity. The Spring Court is strongest during the ends of winter and throughout the spring season, despite the Summer Court having reigned. These fae are peppy, quiet, seductive, emotional, and vernal obviously. The epitome of spring.
The Summer Court represents what people see as the benevolent side of the Fae. The fae of this court are generally considered more polite or mannered, albeit they are still very capable of cruelty (but will be more hush-hush, or subtle about it). The Summer Court has free reign over summer solstice and spring equinox months, and are strongest during that time. Needless to say, the fae of this court are frivolous, venereal, hot-headed and what have you. They are the epitome of summer.
The Autumn Court is seen as the equally malevolent side of Fae in comparison to Winter, but much more middling. The fae of this court are generally the ones doing the "dirty work" and "trooping". However, these fae can have much nicer sides than any of the Fae and return great favors. The Autumn Court is strongest during the ends of summer and throughout the autumn season. These fae are strong, mystique, eerie, ravishing all the same, and devious. The epitome of autumn.
The Summer Court and Spring Court are closely associated with the Seelie and The Winter Court. T Autumn Court is closely associated with the Unseelie, but they are separate courts. They each have different roles and regulations. When they are used interchangeably, people just clump them together as ONLY Seelie or Unseelie. They are not different names for Seelie and Unseelie; people just tend to see it that way.
The Seelie Court is seen as more beneficent toward humans. Seelie means "Blessed" or "Holy" and is akin to German selig and Old English sælig. The modern word, "silly" which can be understood as happy, harmless, or beneficial. In Irish it is spelled seleighe. The fae of this court are known to seek out humans to warn those who had accidentally offended them in one manner or another, and to return human kindness with favors of their own. Fae don't like to be in debt. Even so, a faery belonging to this court will most definitely avenge insults and are prone to much mischief. The most common time of day to see them is twilight and sometimes dawn.
The Unseelie, the "Unholy" or "Unblessed" Court consists of the malicious and more evilly-inclined fairies. Unlike the Seelie Court, offense is not necessary to bring down their foes or anyone they choose to bother for that matter. As a group, or the 'host' as we Fae call it, they appear at night and assault travelers either 'physically', emotionally, and/or mentally– especially spiritually ignorant folk. Like the faeries of the Seelie Court, neither are the faeries of the Unseelie court always evil. However, when one of them is forced to choose, they will naturally prefer to harm than help.
The categorization of fairies based on court is whether or not a fairy is light or dark. The Seelie court are known to seek help from humans, to warn those who have accidentally offended them, and to return human kindness with favors of their own. Still, a fairy belonging to this court will avenge insults and could be prone to mischief. The most common time of day to see them is twilight. Other names for the Seelie court are 'The Shining Throne' or 'The Golden Ones' and 'The Summer Court'. Seelies are known for playing pranks on humans and having a light hearted attitude, forgetting their sorrows quickly and not realizing how they might be affecting the humans they play pranks on.
The Unseelie Court consists of the darkly-inclined fairies. Unlike the Seelie Court, no offense is necessary to bring down their assaults. As a group (or "host"), they appear at night and assault travelers, often carrying them through the air, beating them, and forcing them to commit such acts as shooting at cattle. Like the beings of the Seelie Court who are not always benevolent, neither are the fairies of the Unseelie Court always malevolent. Most Unseelies can become fond of a particular human if they are viewed as respectful, and would choose to make them something of a pet. Some of the most common characters in the Unseelie Court are Bogies, Bogles, Boggarts, Abbey Lubbers and Buttery Spirits. The division into "Seelie" and "Unseelie" spirits was roughly equivalent to the division of Elves in Norse mythology, into "light" and "dark" distinctions.
In the French fairy tales as told by the précieuses, fairies are likewise divided into good and evil, but the effect is clearly literary. Many of these literary fairies seem preoccupied with the character of the humans they encounter.
The Welsh fairies, Tylwyth Teg, and the Irish Aos Sí are usually not classified as wholly good or wholly evil.
On Politics: What do the Courts do?
In a nutshell, the Faerie Courts are the paramount social structures of Fae society. The Courts are very strong political allegiances that enforce their philosophy on existing members, recruit for new members, build armies, hold say in seasonal power, and blood nobility in a odd communist society– only the nobles truly have.
There are, of course, those who swear no allegiance to any Court, they are known as Solitary Fae. Nowadays, Solitaries are seen as having a neutral/balanced/common ground between the courts and they are also seen as some of the most dangerous. Living a life a as Solitary can be simple and good in some respect, but because they have chosen to be cut off from the larger support network social interaction with others is not as available. Even so, Solitary fae can finds means of interacting with others and can often be an intermediary for many purposes of Faerie and of Earth. Solitaries are usually unpredictable and have been seen as the outcasts (either banished, choosing to leave, or not choosing at all), and the "wild wee ones". There are not many that regret their decision of being court less.
In a nutshell, the Faerie Courts are the paramount social structures of Fae society. The Courts are very strong political allegiances that enforce their philosophy on existing members, recruit for new members, build armies, hold say in seasonal power, and blood nobility in a odd communist society– only the nobles truly have.
There are, of course, those who swear no allegiance to any Court, they are known as Solitary Fae. Nowadays, Solitaries are seen as having a neutral/balanced/common ground between the courts and they are also seen as some of the most dangerous. Living a life a as Solitary can be simple and good in some respect, but because they have chosen to be cut off from the larger support network social interaction with others is not as available. Even so, Solitary fae can finds means of interacting with others and can often be an intermediary for many purposes of Faerie and of Earth. Solitaries are usually unpredictable and have been seen as the outcasts (either banished, choosing to leave, or not choosing at all), and the "wild wee ones". There are not many that regret their decision of being court less.
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