Page 46 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

THE EnEmy: FOLkLORE And FAIRy TALES

Not all privateers are loyalists; some Changelings are mo- the Hedge, the supernatural no-man’s-land between the mortal
tivated by profit and hate the True Fae. Not all loyalists are world and the demesnes, Keepers are still monstrously power-
privateers, either; they may also serve the True Fae as spies or ful, but not omnipotent. When the True Fae treads amongst
exotic goods dealers, too. Those who fall into both groups are humans, they are a force to be reckoned with — as strong as any
the bane of the Lost’s existence. other supernatural that hunters might encounter.
Privateers and loyalists can come up on a hunter’s radar But, like most supernatural predators, the True Fae prefers
in a variety of ways. They might be the culprits at the heart of to retain the upper hand wherever possible; they are most com-
a kidnapping ring, where the victims disappear into Arcadia, fortable staying behind in their demesne, where they wield the
never to be seen again. Those Lost who are profit-motivated most power. Most Keepers rely on minions and underlings, like
could be playing both sides against the middle, by making the loyalists, to do their bidding outside of Arcadia. For this reason,
same deal with a hunter cell and a True Fae. it’s far more likely that hunters will encounter the True Fae’s
Working within a cell, compact, or conspiracy might also subordinates rather than the Fair Folk themselves.
be the perfect cover for a privateer; hunters could be aiding a Few hunters realize how grateful they should be for this
dangerous kidnapper without ever realizing it. Or, by getting in fact.
close to a hunter cell as a secretary, snitch, supplier, or sweet-
heart, a coy loyalist might be spying on them to send intel back Fetches
to the True Fae — because one of the hunters is a target. Most Changelings would like to reclaim their human lives:
jobs, families, and friends. Unfortunately, the homes they’ve
Other Fae Threats left behind rarely go unoccupied. Keepers often replace the

While Changelings can pose a myriad of threats to humans Lost they abduct with simulacrums known as “fetches.” Built
out of trash, natural effluvia, sticks, string, or glass, fetches
and hunters alike, there are other fae beings that are just as dan- look, sound, and feel human — until their death. When a fetch
gerous. Hunters should take special care when identifying the dies, its body reverts back to its inanimate components.
fae, for their appearance and true nature is often obscured and While fetches are no more human than the Lost are, they
can be easily confused with any Changeling. believe themselves to be people — specifically the humans they
True Fae are replacing. To reclaim their former place, most Lost will not
hesitate to destroy the fetch that has taken their place. When
Some refer to the Lost’s Keepers as the “True Fae.” All that happens, the police get involved, and they’re likely to ar-
other creatures related to them — Changelings, hobgoblins, rest the Lost for murder — even if the fetch’s body has already
hedgebeasts — are simply “fae.” Humans and some hunters call turned to sticks and stones. Hunters, too, may catch wind of
the True Fae by complementary monikers — Fair Folk, Good something strange happening on the police scanners, and may
Cousins, Kindly Ones — hoping to avoid their wrath by assuag- get involved simply because they suspect a supernatural crea-
ing their near-limitless vanity. ture is behind the crime. Whatever the reason, killing fetches is
True Fae are not people — not even close. They are their guaranteed to attract unwanted attention.
own self-image of themselves, devoid of any external filters or Even if a fetch is dealt with, a Changeling can’t step seam-
dilution. A Keeper might envision himself as the archetype of lessly back into her former life. The makeshift being that took
a great huntsman, holding sway over a forest realm where he her place is almost certainly more like her former self than the
hunts Changelings and other fae creatures for sport. Another Changeling is now; her spouse, parents, children, friends and
might see herself as The Lady of Infinite Joy. Within her lands, co-workers may not be willing to believe that the returned be-
she’s forbade her servants to express anything but happiness. ing is who she says she is. Due to the time discrepancies be-
Professors, playwrights, or politicos, True Fae do not mimic the tween Arcadia and the real world, she may seem far older (or
archetypes of human imagination — they inspire them. There considerably younger) than she “should” be. Her mannerisms,
are some Keepers who believe that every dream, every thought, physical appearance, and mental outlook are all different. The
every creative idea that the human mind has ever conceived is Changeling is, for all intents and purposes, not the person she
due to their influence bleeding through the Hedge over into was before her abduction.
the human psyche. Either way, fetches draw the Lost into a direct conflict with
The lands the Keepers rule are collectively called Arcadia. humans — including hunters.
Each Keeper makes their home in a unique demesne, where
they are the final and only authority. Within these realms, a Hobgoblins and Hedgebeasts
True Fae is nearly omnipotent and can bend the laws of reality. The Hedge — land that separates the True Fae’s realms
Keepers can transform a human slave into a hunting hound, from the human world — is home to countless other fae crea-
shining beacon, storm cloud, or a song — just by willing it to be tures that are neither Changeling nor Keeper. In general, these
so. In this manner, the True Fae creates the Lost to fulfill what- creatures are collectively referred to as hobgoblins (if sentient)
ever inhuman desires their alien hearts may hold. Hunters who and hedgebeasts (if not). Some races and species within these
venture into their lands can expect to be treated the same. The groups form entire villages or roam the Hedge in packs. While
True Fae doesn’t treat one human any differently from another. unhampered by the laws of human reality, these creatures are
Outside of Arcadia, however, the True Fae are weaker. In born, live, eat, breathe, bleed, breed, grow old, and eventually

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