#rd general

Housekeeping Updates

- New avatar - @zachbrightside and I updated our FOP sonas. Tossed the headcanon'd honorary pixie hat on mine! :) Shout-out to that one kid in "School of Crock" who wore this hat with no explanation. And squared my gal's wings! Experimented with pink and purple hair options, but I like the brown too much to change.

- Fixed all broken masterpost links - Checked 3 or 4 times, so let me know if you find something wrong.

- Added things to the masterpost that weren't there (Ex: Art section)

- Combed through every post and changed the bullet point system so they're easier to read, following format update from several years ago that condensed the spacing between bulleted items.

-> As part of this, I've used indents and dashes in place of bullets in many posts. I've also added periods on otherwise blank lines to force blank space, as the blank space is another thing we lost during that format update.

-> This is so posts will look better on the dashboard. The dots may seem odd when viewed directly on the blog, but it definitely makes it easier to not lose my place while editing long posts. Also, they should be more readable now than they would be if they're reblogged to others' dashboards without this change.

- I combed through the short bios and long profiles and divided paragraphs more. There were many bulky paragraphs that have now been divided in a way that should make posts - especially these big profiles - easier to read.

-> Cleaned the "Appearances" sections of the long profiles. They used to list each 'fic that character is in, but now they have a labeled AO3 link to works written by me that include that character. Sleek, clean, and automatically updates!

- Shout-out to me having Dale Dimmadome already down as one of H.P. and Sanderson's past godkids 5+ years ago. I knew that was my headcanon, but I did not remember that was on his profile and I'm glad it was, haha... oh no. I don't know what my plan is for that in light of New Wish, but I'll figure it out.

- Changed posts that called my canon Riddleverse Classic to say Cloudlands AU, since that's the new name for my series. Left the name Riddleverse for posts that encompass multiple AUs.

-> Updated my Icebreaker post with this and other new info

- Deleted any posts tagged as "Delete later"

- I have a lot of long profiles and other posts saved to my drafts from years ago. Once Tumblr shifted to the new format (including with the queue), it became so distressing and ever-changing that I struggled a lot to find my footing.

Ex: They took away line dividers, which I thought was frustrating since I used those on my long posts and found them helpful. I was holding out hope they'd return. - Some posts (like my wing refs and the giant 20k-word class overviews) kept getting flagged if I edited them, and I was worried I'd lose my stuff or have the account deleted - Back then, the queue would only tell me which day of the week something was posting, not which month or day. It was just overwhelming to create a schedule or keep track of my stuff, so I took a break from Tumblr in general.

These days, I'm much more comfortable with the editor and my queue is now more specific about deadlines. I look forward to posting here again!

I won't be on a schedule, and the big character profiles do take a lot out of me, but my plan back in the day was to release one a month. Might be able to get to there! If not, maybe the short bios.

Future of this FOP Sideblog

- More worldbuilding posts! I let this blog sit a long time because I felt like I'd said all my worldbuilding and the only thing to do now was profiles and bios (which I was reluctant to prioritize when I felt "behind" in my 'fics).

However, I found some things I'd never moved to this blog, such as my notes on aging. I'd like to post that and others I found.

- No longer hesitant about sharing stuff for "weird" characters or OCs. I had a post about celebrity kids (Poof's age and younger) that I never posted because I didn't think anyone would care about my headcanons for Simon Sparklefield (who only appears in one obscure episode I don't count as fully canon anyway) or Billy Crystal Ball (also obscure) but... Hey, that's why you're here, isn't it? So let's talk celebrities!

In other words, I'd like to bring this blog back as the unapologetic place to share my FOP things. We have references to canon characters and talk of OCs (like Hadley, Emery, Whistle, Soren, China, Anti-Saffron, Kalysta, Iris, Idona... List goes on.)

- This blog will have more polished fanart than the doodles from my main blog

- Polished 'fic cover images will be reblogged here. By this, I mean the posts I do on my main blog that outline what to expect from a 'fic. I won't reblog my general chapter announcements; I don't want to flood this blog with those.

- 130 Reasons Why I'm Fairy Trash's cover will be reblogged, but the posts for individual trains won't be. - Existing cover images will get new, polished posts for their 'fics before I reblog them here.

- I went through the blog and added the tag "Cloudlands AU" to many posts, apart from a few I'm still hesitant to edit (or where it didn't seem worth noting). Cloudlands AU refers to my lore for the 11 seasons of the main series (i.e. including the "Oh Yeah!" shorts), and this is what my sideblog was meant for.

- The reason for this new tag is to separate it from City Lights AU: my new AO3 series for works about New Wish. These works are not compliant with Cloudlands AU, which was designed years ago.

Ex: Peri and Irep will get a short bio on this blogged tagged as City Lights AU to explain what we're setting up for their characters over there, distinct from the existing short bio for Poof and Foop in Cloudlands AU (who are very well established in their arcs). In other words, I'm not rewriting Cloudlands AU canon to fit with A New Wish, but I still want to write works for New Wish. Expect bios and art for Hazel and Dev here someday (and others).

The next thing I post will be Hadley's full character profile (now with updates that are compliant with A New Wish).

After that, I'll reblog my Cloudlands AU and City Lights AU guides to this blog so they'll be under their tags and on the masterlist.

When that's all done, I'd like to knock out full character profiles for Dale, Dev, and Hazel when I can (in addition to finishing my drafts for Cosmo, Wanda, Poof, and Foop). Long, slow process, but it would be cool to have those things done by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

Feeling decent about my idea for Hazel's birthdate. I have nice options for Dev, but no commitment until Zach and I nail down where "Operation: Birthday Takeback" goes in our New Wish timeline. Enjoying the process so far! -> Dev's b-day is QUITE the toss-up between options like "National Day of Unplugging," "Plant a Lemon Tree Day," and the absolutely golden combo of "Pizza Party & Virtual Assistants Day." And perhaps others we've not investigated!

I think that's everything! Hopefully, this is the last "blog news" announcement we have for a while, and the blog can return to being a landing spot for fanart and story meta.

As always, the sideblog's Asks are closed as I want to maintain a consistent feel for this blog. You can reach out to my main blog (Askbox here) if you want to ask a worldbuilding question.

Additionally, I'm interested in following other people's worldbuilding / AUs so I can engage more with the community, especially those passionate about FOP worldbuilding. -> I'm open to self-advertisement if you want to shoot me an Ask on my main blog telling me where I can find your work! -> I'd prefer to follow a blog that is primarily for FOP worldbuilding / art / 'fics (or subscribe to an AO3 series for FOP works), but I'm open to consideration if your blog is multi-fandom! My preference: Thoughtful takes on characters and world that dig deeper than just ship art / ship 'fics- Nothing against shipping, but I'm more interested in character analyses and worldbuilding. Bonus points for a focus on miserable children, Dale lemonade trauma, Pixies, or Timmy growing up to lose his memories and live an average human life. If you don't fit this, you can still recommend your AU and I'll check it out, but that's my wishlist :) Also, if there's anyone who makes Timmy/Molly content, you are my hero and should totally link me your work.

It's such an honor to see so many followers of this sideblog despite its long absence! To those of you interested in staying with me as we enter this next phase, thank you very much - it means a lot to me - and I hope you enjoy browsing!

And to anyone who's lost interest, thank you for spending time while you were here <3

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Generally, Fae culture is good about letting you do things at your own pace without too much pressure (benefits of a million year lifespan). There are regular breaks in school, and if you want to take gap years in between, you can request them easily (as long as you’re willing to fill out packets or do projects later to cover what you missed).

Fairies are expected to complete Spellementary, middle, and high school before marriage and before pursuing a career path seriously. Further education is optional; the majority of Fairies do not go on to a school like the Fairy Academy. Godparents absolutely have to.

Anti-Fairy World has its own education program that’s basically a “come learn anything you want for as long as you want to” program. This system does not have face-to-face meetings in classrooms or daily homework. Research projects, dioramas, poster presentations, and other deliverables make up the majority of schoolwork. This system is much better suited to the nomadic colony life typical in Anti-Fairy World. The program is called the Anti-Fairy Academy, though it encompasses Anti-Fairies of all years and isn’t solely for further education (like the Fairy Academy is).

During the May Blossom War, Foop continued his education through the Anti-Fairy Academy program since he could not attend the rest of Spellementary or any middle school in Fairy World. At age 130,000, when Poof was entering high school, he decided to pursue education in Fairy World again. He dreams of being the first Anti-Fairy to graduate from the Fairy Academy and is racing against his rival, Anti-Whistle Anti-Fernfire, to do this.

Notably, Fairies are stereotyped as people who marry young but have their first kid much later in life. Historically, parents and children lived in separate houses but on the same large plot of land. Having children too soon could lead to overcrowding. Many Fairies do get to see their grandchildren, but very, very few meet their great-grandchildren.

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- Fairy homes emphasize height over width, allowing room to float. Social hierarchy is incredibly important in Fairy culture, and tall rooms allow those with higher social standing to float higher than those lower on the food chain.

- This home was built for kabouter residents. If a gyne was born and raised in this house, the guest bedroom (purple bed) would be repurposed as a preening room once he comes into his adult wings. Following the gyne’s death or departure from the home, it’s custom to turn the preening room into a guest bedroom again rather than letting the space go to waste.

- Strict separation of noisy social areas from quiet resting areas upstairs; children don’t play upstairs with their friends, but play downstairs beneath the watchful eyes of adults. If you and your friends try to sneak off, you’ll likely get reprimanded. Socializing should be in the social area. It’s not uncommon to block the bottom of the stairs with a curtain. Some bold Fairies may choose to have no stairs at all, and simply poof to bed.

- Focus of the main room is open social space (Note the absence of even a bathroom on the main floor). Plenty of room for movement. Bedrooms are cozier, with less room to maneuver; Fairy homes encourage the family to socialize together in the main area.

- Houses are well insulated and built to keep out the cold (Very useful for a species who live in the clouds but can’t thermoregulate). Only very wealthy families have fireplaces; the addition of a fireplaces requires the addition of a cooling system too. Thermostats are very new to the cloudlands; Pixies have adopted them, but most Fairies haven’t.

- The trellis out back is decorated for the seasons (Similar to a Christmas tree, but decorated every three months - See Fae Celebrations).

- Electric lights were included in this build, but electric lights are new to Fairy World and don’t exist in most Fairy buildings. Candles, oil lamps, or lamps made from stars are more common light sources.

- Keeping rooms were the standard when H.P. was growing up, but in a modern Fairy house, the living area and kitchen are separated (Contrast with the small half-wall kitchens Pixie architecture is best known for). Large kitchens feature plenty of elbow room, many cupboards, and an island counter (Bar stools make the kitchen a possible social area).

- Walls have light, cheery colors (Usually pastels). The corners are sharp and neat (No slanted walls here). The walls aren’t too cluttered; Fairies may hang portraits of relatives or godkids, but they don’t favor landscapes (Contrast with Anti-Fairies who value painted landscapes over portraits). Round windows are common.

- Sleeping rooms and mating rooms (also called affection sites, or yidreamu) are generally separated in Fairy houses and apartments. This custom has its roots in Fairy heat cycles (Female Fairies can only mate once or twice a cycle due to their reproductive parts breaking off like a male bee’s, and those take time to regrow even with magic). Mating is therefore a special occasion for Fairies and deserves a special room.

- At the low point of their cycle, Fairies are much more interested in snuggling than mating. The yidreamu is used for snuggle sessions too, not just pairing (hence “affection site”). As time passes, Fairies grow increasingly interested in kisses. They mate at the peak of the cycle. After this, interest in mating drops off again and returns to snuggle sessions.

Heat cycles vary by subspecies and sometimes don’t line up regularly between partners; Fairy World’s strict caste system arose long ago in an effort to pair children with cycle-compatible partners.

- Fairy homes will always be built with a yidreamu off the master bedroom; even “one-bedroom” apartments will include a yidreamu. Notably, poking around someone else’s yidreamu (a stranger’s or a relative’s) is a major faux pas in Fairy culture.

Peeking at someone’s yidreamu is the social equivalent of walking in on them mating; you wouldn’t even ask an interior designer to go in there because that room is strictly for the head couple of the household to design to their liking. Not a guest room. Definitely not a guest room. Massive faux pas if you treat it like one.

- Flowerpots with three yellow wands sticking out of them like flowers are very common features in Fairy homes; they’re colloquially known as “soul carriages.” In Fairy culture, they represent the three parts of the soul and are used to represent relatives both living and dead. If you’re a Fairy, then each member of your kinship circle (AKA family members living and dead that you have met or heard of and are on good terms with) should be represented somewhere in your home.

Immediate family members are traditionally displayed in the public eye while the soul carriages of relatives whom your neighbors aren’t likely to know are normally kept on shelves upstairs.

Notably, Mama Cosma refused to keep a soul carriage in her home for Wanda until after Poof was born- an absolute insult in Fairy culture, since according to tradition, she should have built one for Wanda the moment she learned of her son’s marriage.

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Related: Fairy Class Overview || Anti-Fairy Design || Pixie Design

Fairy Elder - Last of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She is not a god, but holds great authority and power in the cloudlands. She wears yellow robes and a magical diamond necklace that keeps her alive. Fairies, Anti-Fairies, and Refracts alike respect her; she is an impartial figurehead.

Wise Ancients - Extremely powerful nature spirits such as Mother Nature and Father Time. They are neutral parties, but not impartial. These deities have their own agendas and use mortals to further their goals.

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Zodiac spirits - The seven nature spirits who represent the seven elements on the Fairy zodiac. The days of the week are named after them.

Supreme Fairy Council - Four Fairies and three Anti-Fairies who are elected to sit on either the Fairy Council or Anti-Fairy Council. The seven are collectively referred to as the Supreme Fairy Council. Each member is called a Robe, and wears a robe in the color of the cloudland region (political state) they represent.

Eros family - Cupid’s bloodline. Always cherubs, always triplets, and allegedly tasked by the gods to maintain Fairy genealogies and prevent any species in the universe from truly going extinct.

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Keeper of Da Rules - The Keeper of Da Rules maintains order in the cloudlands by ensuring Da Rules are followed. Following the War of the Angels, the Keeper of Da Rules also became ambassador for the common fairy subspecies. This is Jorgen’s current position.

Lower-ranked nature spirits - The children and grandchildren of the zodiac spirits. They are certainly deities, but are lesser deities.

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Alien ambassadors - Aliens who represent other worlds, including entire planets sometimes.

High Count and High Countess - The dual leaders of the Anti-Fairies. While the titles imply separate male and female positions, they can be filled by a same-sex pair. Although equals from a political standpoint, the High Count is still considered head of the household, mirroring the creche father rank in actual bat colonies. These are Anti-Cosmo’s and Anti-Wanda’s current positions.

Head Pixie - This title is often abbreviated H.P. Only the reigning Head Pixie has the authority to make drastic changes to the Pixie social structure. He rules until his death, after which he is succeeded by the Vice President of Pixies Inc.

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Fairy subspecies ambassadors - Ambassadors of various races under the Fairy umbrella who attend Council meetings. Some are elected while others are kings and queens born and raised in royal families.

First General - The follower drake of the High Count. The First General organizes and oversees Anti-Fairy troops in war. In times of peace, he also performs ceremonies and breaks gridlock arguments among the camarilla court. This position is always filled by a male. This is Anti-Poof Anti-Everwish’s current position.

Temple acolytes - High-ranking Anti-Fairies who reside in and care for the Zodiac Temples. They are considered experts in matters of architecture; they spend decades studying such things in Zodiac Temples before they can design monuments to the nature spirits or offer their designing services to clients. They’re so renowned for their skill that hopeful Fairy architects will train beneath them instead of attending the Academy.

Head Anti-Pixie - Leader of the anti-pixie race. Generally given the cold shoulder and not taken seriously considering that anti-pixies are stereotyped as constantly-drunk party-loving lunatics. Holds very little political power. This is Anti-Sanderson’s current position.

Vice President of Pixies Inc. - The pixie intended to be the Head Pixie’s successor. Until then, he helps the Head however he is instructed to (Mostly by keeping Pixie World resources such as groceries stocked and helping with childcare duties). Only pixie gynes may hold this rank. This is Longwood’s current position.

Chief Pixie of PixieCo - The gyne who oversees pixies in the Hawthorn Haven cloudland colony. The title is also abbreviated C.P. of PixieCo. The C.P. is still subject to the Head, like a manager to a larger company. As other pixie gynes set off into the world, more C.P. positions will pop up. This is Smith’s current position.

Pixie ambassador - H.P. became Pixie ambassador to the Supreme Fairy Council by default. However, he can elect to pass the position to someone else if he wants to.

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Keepers [of Da Rules] - Not to be confused with the singular position. These government workers make up the Fairy World police force and are trained to organize as militia if necessary. They wear sky blue and white uniforms.

Camarilla court - Six Anti-Fairies selected by the High Count and six selected by the High Countess who weigh in on matters of political and social importance. While the High Count and High Countess technically hold seats on the camarilla too, the name “camarilla” is colloquially used to encompass everyone else. In total, there are two people on the camarilla court representing each of the seven elements on the Fairy zodiac.

Heir to the High Seat / “High heir” - A child of either the High Count or Countess (sometimes both) born with the iris virus. A potential heir born without the iris virus would automatically be rejected as the heir for not carrying “the sacred blessing of the nature spirits”. In times of desperation when no legitimate heir can be produced, another color-eyed child of nobility (most likely an extended family member) can be adopted into the bloodline instead. This is Foop’s current position.

H.P.’s alpha retinue drone - A gyne’s primary drone; he oversees other drones and can assist his gyne in distributing his pheromones through the ranks. An alpha drone technically has the same rights as a service animal regarding where he can and can’t go. This is Sanderson’s current position.

Vice President of PixieCo - Simply, the pixie who succeeds the Chief Pixie of PixieCo, and assists him until then. Like the Vice President of Pixies Inc., the V.P. of PixieCo should be a gyne. Again, we’ll be introduced to this position in “The Other One”.

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Other von Strangle family members - Nana Boom-Boom. Invisible Leonard. People we saw in “Cosmo Rules”. You know what I mean.

Creche fathers of other colonies - Non-nursing colonies of Anti-Fairies are naturally patriarchal; the creche father is the highest-ranking male in the colony. While leadership skills are valued, his main role consists of caring for the young pups in the colony.

Heir’s betrothed - The intended mate to the “High heir” and therefore the assumed new High Count or Countess. This person doesn’t hold real legal authority, but is treated with respect. As it stands right now, this is Anti-Coriander’s unofficial position.

Chief Sunchosen - A self-proclaimed title for the unofficial ambassador of the Refracted. The intention is that one day, this position will be for Refracts what the High Count and Countess are for Anti-Fairies. This is Dame Artemis’s current self-titled position.

C.P.’s alpha retinue drone - Same as H.P.’s alpha retinue drone, but he belongs to the Chief Pixie of PixieCo. This is Calvert’s current position.

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Other celebrities - The Tooth Fairy, famous actors like Blonda, TV show hosts like Billy Crystal Ball, successful writers, and so on.

Mates of camarilla members - Nobles who are nobility through marriage. Obviously, they lose this title if their mate is removed from the camarilla. Usually they contract the iris virus from their mate.

Other irises - Other carriers of the iris virus. Mainly nobles and former nobles who are treated with a hint more respect than commoners. This is a fuzzy area; prostitutes selling the iris virus are an actual inconvenicnce that causes headaches for the higher-ups.

Successful farmers - If you lived in a magical cloud world with limited ability to farm nutritious food, you would value farmers who provided you with high-quality crops too.

Most Refracted - An angelic, pious race of gold and white bird-based people, quite opposite of the stereotype of the evil blue and black Anti-Fairy. The Refracted manage many of the Daoist shrines and ceremonies and are generally well-liked even though they can be pompous and annoying.

Gynes - Large, freckled Fairies (always male) who ate a lot of jelly as children. In actual insect colonies, gynes are the “princesses” who take over from the queen, often by killing her in a battle to the death. Likewise, Fairy gynes are naturally very territorial and often fight each other. Gynes with more dominant pheromones have the ability to suppress the reproductive systems of subordinate gynes. Gynes with many dark freckles are considered more attractive than those with few. The actual rank of a gyne varies in regard to other social status factors, but people generally give them respect.

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Upper-class Fairy citizens - High-ranking people who aren’t considered celebrities. The Whimsifinado and Fairywinkle families fall into this category.

Kids of camarilla members and their mates - Children of nobility, often considered nobles themselves. They’re likely to carry the iris virus.

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Average Fairy citizens - Regular, non-celebrity folk. Fairy culture is still largely dominated by their caste system, although they’re starting to move away from it as time goes on.

Anti-Fairy commoners - Average Anti-Fairies who aren’t considered nobility; as a result, they’re highly unlikely to carry the iris virus and probably have red eyes. Those who live in colonies are considered more socially acceptable than rogues. Many males travel in bachelor colonies during their adolescent years. Occasionally, females may travel in nursing colonies.

Tourists (Aliens) - Cloudland foreigners. Aliens don’t typically settle in the cloudlands since there’s really nothing to do there if you aren’t magical, and the buildings tend to be very small.

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Genies - Generally looked down upon; profiled as dirty, manipulative trouble-makers who enjoy laughing at the expense of others. Technically, it’s difficult to officially rank them since there just aren’t very many in the first place, let alone genies who freely wander the cloudlands.

Drones - Stereotyped as natural-born servants (always male) and born only if their father is either a gyne or a drone. Despite the name “drone”, their natural behaviors are most similar to those of worker bees. They’re attracted to gyne pheromones, so gynes tend to form retinues of drones who take pride in serving him. A drone will be born sterile approximately 75% of the time. Pixie drones, being infected with Wolbachia pipientis, are an exception to this rule.

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Will o’ the wisps - Stereotyped as gorgeous temptresses who seduce males and keep harems. They fear floods and slip out of their underground tunnels when it rains. Goldie Goldenglow is the wisp ambassador.

Anti-will o’ the wisps - Stereotyped as prostitutes (“Mistresses” in Anti-Fairy World) and generally looked down upon for having insect wings instead of bat ones; they are also known as “mothdames.” Anti-Marigold is an anti-wisp.

Finfolk - Very similar to will o’ the wisps, although they live underwater. The stereotype is that they capture potential spouses from land and drag them underwater, forcing their captors to be their servants.

Redcaps - Stereotyped as psychotic hillbillies. They’re looked down upon because they need to coat their hats in blood regularly in order to survive, or they’ll die. They have five eyes, are immune to all poisons and venoms, and are generally considered really creepy.

Brownies - Highly shunned for their venomous saliva. Widely viewed as meek servants without much brain power. To call someone a brownie-kisser implies that they’re so incapable of wooing anyone that they took advantage of a poor, dumb, innocent creature instead. Brownies are not inherently less intelligent than other Fairies- they just keep ending up in disadvantaged situations.

- Monochrome color scheme of grays, whites, and blacks.

- Whenever possible, Pixie rooms are not as boxy as rooms of Fairy design; slanted walls are expected. Overall, Pixie architecture is angular but flows smoothly.

- Pixie apartments are intended for sleeping, storing clothes, and washing up. Socializing within the apartment is not a priority, so you won’t see many seats. When off the clock, pixies most often socialize in the recreation building, where they can work on their hobbies and converse with others in a larger space (Hobby items are stored in locker-like closets, freeing up space in the apartment for life essentials).

- Most apartments feature a desk with a computer in the entry hall. Pixies may love technology, but they generally keep electronics out of the bedroom. You wouldn’t see TVs mounted on the wall, laptops in bed are shunned, and even those who stay up on their phone don’t stay up long. If you work in Pixie World, high-quality sleep is a must.

- The ceilings of Pixie rooms are not as high as those of Fairy rooms; for Fairies, expressing dominance or submission in quiet but visible ways (like floating height) is incredibly important because it keeps the peace without stepping on toes. Pixies, composed entirely of gynes and drones, are sensitive enough to pheromones that they identify rank instantly and constantly without requiring the strict floating positions of the Fairies.

- Pixies certainly don’t have separate sleeping and mating bedrooms like Fairies do- their culture discourages those affections to the point that they didn’t keep that crucial element of Fairy design at all. If a pixie does mate, it will most likely be done outside of Pixie World entirely; this contributes to the stereotype that pixies are an innocent, submissive race.

- Bathrooms are never connected to master bedrooms directly; there is always some sort of hall. Pixies are neat freaks and distinguishing the rooms clearly is a must. No one wants to sleep with their head near a bathroom door.

- Note the cushioned benches in the bathrooms- these are for sitting on while pixies clean each other’s wings. Fairies normally clean wings in the bedroom (which is usually where dressing occurs) while pixies are more likely to dress in the bathroom following a quick shower and a toweling off. This reflects the differences in each culture’s time management; Fairies tend to ready themselves for the day leisurely, sitting in bathrobes and eating breakfast, while pixies are prompt creatures who get in and out.

- Few decorations, even on shelves. Bookshelves (if any) hold textbooks, Da Rules, dictionaries, and citation guidelines instead of novels.

- Floors are tile or wood; carpet and stone are not common. Pixies use electric lighting instead of torches or oil lamps.

- Half-wall kitchens are signature to Pixie design, providing more openness in a small space. Expect a coffee maker in every Pixie kitchen, even though they’ll probably buy a cup on their way to work anyway.

- Dining tables are not staples of Pixie architecture. Rather, breakfast nooks provide small tables and a few chairs. Some pixies prefer the table farther from the wall with four chairs around it, though two usually serves just fine.

- Worth mentioning that most pixies don’t do their own laundry. Laundry workers rank among the lowest of the Pixie social hierarchy, so when pixies return home they might find folded clothes waiting for them. Or, clothes might ping on top of them if they were in bed at the time (Blame Rosencrantz).

Related: Pixie Class Overview || Fairy Design || Anti-Fairy Design

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Magic: A History

Compare with “7 Billion Years In Brief”

It’s speculated that long ago, fae ancestors possessed the ability to use core magic (the core being a fae’s life-giving organ inside the forehead dome). Core magic was quite powerful and did not require a conduit (e.g. a wand). Over several generations, however, that ability seems to have faded.

For several eras, magic required chants or ingredients in order to invoke its power. Potioncraft was the dominant magic system of the time. Spellbooks also came into being (as stone carvings or wood etchings bound into a collection on the Fairy side, scrolls on the Anti-Fairy side) and magic was limited to certain spells that had been discovered. Innovation was uncommon.

Modern Magic - Spellbooks have gone out of fashion. Potions are considered complicated and unnecessary. Potions can be brewed and used by anyone, even non-magical creatures.

Finally, several generations before H.P. was born, starpiece magic entered the playing field (“Starpieces” refers to several magical conduits, including wands and Pixie technology). Starpieces allow Fairies to cast magic easily, accurately, and silently; chanting is not longer needed because the wand does all of that for you. Starpieces tune into the same frequency of the energy field that Fairies breathe, granting access to the correct frequency of magic without drawing power from a Fairy’s life force.

Although ancient spellbooks and potion recipes still exist, starpiece magic is the standard magic system throughout Fairy World today.

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Spells vs. Wishes

In Fairy legal terms, a spell is magic cast by a fairy acting on their own. A wish is the result of a godchild’s will combined with their godparent’s will; thanks to this combination, wishes can lead to seriously powerful magic far above what a fairy can cast alone. Granting wishes is also less draining for a fairy than casting spells.

You must be a licensed godparent to legally grant wishes, and you may only grant wishes for your assigned godchild. You can cast spells if you wish to, but your spells should be for personal reasons; you shouldn’t bring your personal spells into a godchild’s life unless they specifically wish for it. There are often legal repercussions for doing so due to possible disruption of a godchild’s feelings of safety and stability.

The appendix is the magical organ in Fairies that allows them to sync their thoughts to other magic users’ when combining their power. Fairies also develop empathy links with their godchild through the appendix as well to help them hone in on what a godkid is asking for. Even when godparents aren’t near a child, if the appendixes are linked, a godparent can sense a child calling for them.

Coast Clear? - Under “Magic Specializations,” read about Essential Sensories and how Fairies can check if it’s safe to poof in

When godparent and godchild are permanently separated, some may request the empathy link be severed (which usually involves the removal of the appendix). Others prefer maintaining the links until each godchild dies. Godparents who become extremely distressed can accidentally rupture their godkid’s appendix. 

Appendix - It’s extremely rare to be a godkid if you don’t have an appendix. No appendix means no wishes. A Fairy without an appendix will struggle to function in highly emotional Fairy society.

Spells, wishes, and appendixes are also discussed in the Pink and Gray chapter “Heroes to Goats;” as part of the agreement to let Gary, Betty, and Kenny grow up under Pixie care, the Fairy Council insisted their appendixes be removed. Pixies can cast spells around Gary and Betty but cannot sync minds or draw energy from them in order to grant wishes.

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The Energy Field

Magic flows throughout the universe and different magical beings tap into different frequencies of it, like radios. As they grow, magical beings learn to tune out the static white noise put out by certain magical frequencies and tune themselves into the one that suits their people’s magic. Fairies draw their magic (and breath) from a certain energy field frequency. A Fairy can channel magic through their body, drawing on their own life force, or draw it through a conduit to avoid draining their own energy reserves.

Conduit - An object that channels magic (Usually a wand, but could be an ancient artifact or magical item)

Wands only work properly inside pockets of the energy field where magic is plentiful. Wands pick up a signal in those energy pockets the same way cell phones can; if you’re out of range, some features won’t work. If you travel any direction in the universe too far, you will eventually pass out of the energy field and it will be harder to use magic, and eventually become difficult to breathe; however, if you travel up or downstream a river of magic, you’ll be connected longer than if you run perpendicular to the river.

Magical Hotspots - Click HERE for the Fae Cosmology post, which describes these rivers of magic throughout the universe.

Fairies are connected to the energy field through invisible magic pathways called magic lines.

Magic Lines - Invisible magical pathways that connect Fairies to the energy field, allowing them to breathe and use magic. If a Fairy’s lines are disrupted, they will not be able to do either of these things. Sort of like windpipes, but they’re outside the body. Also known as breathing lines.

Fritz - If a Fairy briefly loses connection with the energy field, it’s called fritzing. Magic lines are constantly trying to reconnect with the energy field and will reattach quickly in most cases. When under something like a butterfly net or tinfoil hat, a fairy will instantly fritz and be unable to reconnect. They can still breathe and talk at first, but will steadily run out of magic (equivalent of being buried alive).

Fairies can fritz when startled, scared, if they swim too deep, or if outdoors in bad weather. If you fritz because you’re drunk or aroused, people might say you’ve gone tingle-fritzy.

For eons, the energy field has unfortunately become quite dirty. The Big Wand filters pollution from the energy field and distributes it across the nearby universe; the nearer you are to the Big Wand, the easier it is to drink from filtered parts of the field. All of Fairy World has access to filtered magic, but the flavor may differ the further you are. If you venture from Fairy World to another planet, you will go off the grid. Theoretically, the Big Anti-Wand functions the same way, but it doesn’t work as well.

When the Big Wand shuts down, so does its filter. Drinking raw magic isn’t ideal for modern-day Fairies since their bodies are accustomed to filtered magic. Flying and shapeshifting are still possible, but are more strenuous in a raw zone than a filtered zone. Starpiece magic may not be possible at all, or if it is then you only have access to dregs.

Fairy World is set to cut excess magic if the Big Wand goes down and start rationing its magic supply. Ensuring everyone can still breathe is priority number one. During “Crocker Shocker,” Crocker cut the Big Wand’s power. The field was still there, but Fairies couldn’t use it without getting sick, so their handheld wands immediately shut down to limit the amount of intake.

Near-Immortality - As long as a Fairy is in contact with the energy field (via their magic lines) they are extremely resilient and difficult to kill.

Magic resists magic (à la “Abra-Catastrophe!”) If you stab someone with a magical blade, it will pass through soft skin, potentially nick bone, and feel uncomfortable, but it won’t kill the Fairy. Fairies are weak to non-magical weapons. However, even then, they will heal quickly if in contact with the energy field unless they were struck by a significant amount of force or hit in a sensitive area of the body.

Arms heal quickly because they’re thick with magic (the hands are one of the exit points of magic, so magic travels from the core to the hands). Legs take a little longer but not by much. Wings do not have veins that carry magic, so they take much longer to heal.

Hospitals - The closer a Fairy is to the Big Wand, and the more power they can draw from the field, the faster they’ll heal even if they were badly hurt with a non-magical item. The Fairy World hospital is right next to the Big Wand because of this.

Core - The life-giving organ in a fae (equivalent to a heart, but this organ is magical and located in the hollow head chamber). Stabbing the core will kill a Fairy instantly.

Breathing - The fae don’t like going out in bad weather because it affects their ability to use magic (See also, magic lines). In particularly bad weather, they may not be able to breathe. Unlike humans, the fae get to breathe in outer space... but it comes at the cost of not being able to go outside if it’s a day you can’t breathe.

Anti-Fairies are not connected directly to the energy field. They are fully capable of performing magic in magical dead zones as long as their host counterpart has access to the energy field.

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Magic-Touched

Magic resists magic (See also, “Abra-catastrophe”).

A magical being cannot be killed by an object that has been created or changed with magic (See also, near-immortality). If you’re a Fairy, you can cut your hand off with a magical knife and nothing will happen. You won’t even bleed. If you accidentally cut your hand with a non-magical knife, you will. Magical bullets cannot kill you, but non-magical bullets can.

Fairies are magical creatures, but are also grounded to the physical world. They could kill another magical being with their bare hands (Not immune to one another).

Opaque Magic - Magic in a visible, physical state. Magical beams and Bridges are formed of this magic. May or may not magic-touch an object (depends if a beam is manipulating the composition of an object).

Transparent Magic - Magic in an invisible, nonphysical state. This magic never magic-touches objects. Shapeshifting, levitating, and poofing something from room to room are examples of transparent magic. Domestic magic (kitchen/vanity) is also transparent.

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Wands

A wand’s cap is filled with sacred rosewater drawn from the magical fountain Kiiloëi. This rosewater drains over time and must be refilled so the wand can tune into the proper frequency of the energy field. A wand with an empty cap is useless for performing magic. Click HERE to see the parts of a wand.

Different types of wands exist to fit the needs of different magic users. Some types are capable of deflecting magic, but are very heavy. Some wear out easily and are sold cheaply, making them good for those who lose their wands often. Read more about wand varieties HERE.

When a wand is broken, it releases a burst of energy that can be felt by nearby magical creatures. The energy field shifts as it tries to incorporate the new explosion of magic into its usual river-like flow. Bursts can disrupt nearby magic usage for about half an hour.

Gyne Fight - Wands are snapped in a gyne fight, preventing outsiders from interfering.

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Magic and Biology

Natural fae magic is also known as pink magic- the color associated with quick reactions and basic biological abilities such as flight and shapeshifting. Fae wings are small and require the support of pink magic to enable floating. When energy is cut, fae cannot channel floating or shapeshifting powers in the usual way. Internal pink magic can be used without a wand as long as a connection to the energy field is maintained through the lines; spells used against other people still require a conduit.

Pink Magic - Fae naturally have an internal store of this. As long as you can breathe, you can use some pink magic. This means you can poof very short distances without a wand and change shape. You will not have enough magic to float if the Big Wand is down for a long time.

Different fae races have race-specific abilities. Fairies and Pixies secrete oils and stale magic from their skin on a constant basis. Being ectothermic, this sweat doesn’t actually cool them down, but it serves another important function: it allows them to store accessible magic in case of emergencies. If necessary, a Fairy or Pixie has enough power to cast a small spell even if they don’t have a connection with the energy field.

Fairies and Pixies also have an ability known as field-sight. They can sense nearby magical beings and can also use their internal magic to view the energy field in its raw state, viewing concentrations of magic in physical form.

Sweat - Seelie Courters secrete magic that sticks to their skin. They can cast one, two, or maybe three small spells without access to a wand, other than the usual pink magic. Only Fairies and Pixies can do this; Anti-Fairies and Refracts can’t.

Principle of Observation - When non-magical beings glance at a Fairy or Pixie who has magical sweat and dust on their skin, they may not realize something is out of the ordinary (Ex: They will notice an animal is an odd color, but will not question it). Those who perform a double-take will begin to question it, and those who continue studying and thinking about the situation will be able to pierce this “veil.” Anti-Fairies and Refracts are not protected by the Principle.

Godkid Clause - Godkids are immune to the Principle of Observation, no double take required, once they spend time around their fairies. Fairy dust can be spread to individuals the godkid interacts with, passing on the clause temporarily (Think “No Substitute For Crazy”). Witches, who are half magical beings, are automatically immune to the Principle.

Anti-Fairies have the power to mind-meld. They can read others’ thoughts, though most Anti-Fairies must make physical contact in order to do so; very few are powerful enough to do so from a distance. Anti-Fairies can also meld minds directly with their counterparts, allowing the three to communicate (albeit awkwardly) no matter how far apart they are.

Refracts are the inventors of scry bowls and crystal balls, and hold the power to see other locations through the eyes of birds (some can even control movements of the birds as well). Refracts only have this connection with the bird species they share their wings with, but any bird of the appropriate species is fair game for scrying through.

Racial Abilities - Special magical abilities only Seelie, Anti-Fairies, or Refracts have. These are the Principle of Observation, the mind-meld, and scrying (in that order).

Additionally, Anti-Fairies and Refracts hold the power of regeneration. So long as their Fairy host lives, the two counterparts are incapable of dying and will simply regenerate if “killed.” Depending on the severity of the wound and the size of one’s share in their magic pool, regeneration may be very quick or it could take weeks. See “Magic and Money” below for more about regeneration.

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Magic Pools

Counterpart trios have a pool of magic shared between them. This is their allotted share of the energy field (No one can take this resource from them and drain it).

Here is a depiction of a magic pool. The pool is part of the energy field (represented here by negative space). The braided threads are the magic lines, or breathing lines.

The hosting counterpart is directly connected to the magic pool at birth. The host has an organ that filters the raw magic and turns it into purified magic, which his counterparts breathe. Counterparts do not have their own organ to filter raw magic.

Host - In 99.9% of cases, the Fairy counterpart is the host counterpart. In extremely rare cases, the Anti-Fairy or Refract can be born the hosting counterpart. This is a major part of the plot in my ‘fic Frayed Knots.

Raw Magic - See “Sweat” described in the section above. Fairies and Pixies secrete raw magic from their system through their pores because they are hosting counterparts. Non-hosts do not have the ability to eliminate impure magic from their system. However, if an Anti-Fairy or Refract is born a host, they will be born with that ability (via drool).

When one counterpart uses a large amount of magic, they draw a large portion of the pool to them. The other counterparts will briefly be affected and may cough. If an extreme amount of magic is used, the other counterparts may briefly lose the ability to fly, may feel strangled, and could even black out.

Each pool is further divided into three parts, which are not always equal. Using a few large spells or many small spells will steadily drain the pool, and it will take time to rest and recharge. Pool sizes and individual share sizes are based on genetics, so some Fairies choose partners with large pools to ensure their children have large pools too.

Shares - How much magic you can draw from your magic pool before you start taking magic from your counterparts (which can make them sick).

When a Fairy baby is first born, they do not have counterparts, so they possess all three shares of the pool. Poof’s pool was above average size at birth, making him a tempting target for Anti-Fairies and Pixies to exploit.

Lift - The larger your share of magic, the higher your crown floats. High lifts indicate magical prowess and are considered more attractive.

Core-Sync - What happens to the host is mirrored in one or both counterparts. The closer the sync, the more damage a counterpart will take if the host is hurt. Small amounts of damage do not cross the sync chasm.

Poof’s and Foop’s shares of the magic pool are equal because they have a strong core-sync. If Poof stubs his toe or slaps himself in the face, Foop can feel it. Cosmo and Anti-Cosmo have a weak core-sync. Anti-Cosmo only feels Cosmo’s injuries if Cosmo is severely hurt. 

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Shapeshifting

If you understand the existence of a magic pool, understanding shapeshifting is easy. You know that a fairy is connected to this pool via magic lines. Magic lines carry magic from the magic pool to the fairy.

Usually, only one spell can be cast or wish granted at a time. If you’re skilled, you can summon different food products in the same poof cloud. You might even be able to summon an entire circus as long as you’re locking into a “default” circus model. However, it’s difficult to summon a shield and shoot a magical blast at the same time.

Shapeshifting is pink magic. Remember:

Pink Magic - Fae naturally have an internal store of this. As long as you can breathe, you can use some pink magic. This means you can poof very short distances without a wand and change shape. You will not have enough magic to float if the Big Wand is down for a long time.

Because pink magic is internal (see the pink glow around my Wanda drawing), it can be used at the same time as magic drawn from the energy field (the blue line). This means energy field magic and pink magic do not overlap, so they can be performed at the same time.

So how does shapeshifting work? It actually doesn’t take ongoing concentration, and you can stay in a new form easily, even in your sleep. Imagine that inside your brain, you have two hooks that stand in the ground a fair distance apart. A rubber band dangles from one of them.

That band represents your ability to shapeshift. If you can stretch your energy far enough, you can hook your shapeshifting ability in the “on” position:

Your new form won’t slip off while you sleep (though it will snap if you’re caught in a butterfly net, because the “hooks” will disappear). To change back, you disconnect it. Healthy shapeshifting should be a one-time power burst, not an ongoing drain.

It takes time for fae children to learn to shapeshift. They can pull their band a little, but only through practice can they recognize the amount of force they should apply and what they’re trying to do with it. Young fae usually make the mistake of trying to hold their form with absolute concentration, making it impossible to perform other magic at the same time.

Partial Shapeshifting - Appearing in a new form only on the outside. Ex: A cow with the digestive system of a fairy (one stomach). Or a bird with the reproductive system of a fairy (cannot lay eggs in bird form). Or a car without a working engine. Startled Fairies usually take a form like this when hurrying to disguise themselves.

Full Shapeshifting - Taking on a totally new form. Ex: A cow with the digestive system of a cow (four stomachs). Or a bird with the reproductive system of a bird (ability to lay eggs in bird form). Or a car with a working engine. When a fairy needs to seem convincing, this is how they shapeshift. Full forms take more thought and energy.

For fae parents, the equivalent of “You can’t take your eyes off them for a second once they learn to crawl” would be “once they learn to hold a form.” It’s easy for babies to get lost, especially if you have no idea what they turned into while you were in the other room.

To force someone else into another form (if your target is magical), you have to override the natural pink magic of their body. This is the equivalent of one human trying to shove another off balance while they’re standing near each other. If the target is off guard, changing their form is easy. If they’re expecting you to push them, they might stumble but not fall (they’ll resist and knocking them over will take a lot more effort). Someone with a large magic pool is someone bigger than you (harder to overwhelm).

Reversal - It’s difficult for the target of a forced shift to reverse a spell on themselves. However, bystanders may be able to reverse it for them. Yellow magic can only be undone by the caster (or a Supreme Fairy Council member), but all other colors can be undone by another fae with enough patience.

Forcing non-magical beings into another form is simple since they do not have natural magic to defend themselves. You just have to get the form right.

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Sharing Magic

Sharing magic is a form of intimacy for parents and children, siblings, very close friends, romantic partners, or gynes and drones (all close relationships, not just sexual ones). Spending pleasant time together can allow two fae to share magic. Sharing magic is easiest for Fairies and Pixies, though Anti-Fairies can also do it. It’s rare among Refracts.

Although Seelie and Unseelie Courters cannot physically mate, they are able to share magic to express intimacy. The exception to this rule is counterparts: counterparts cannot share magic because they already share the same magic pool by default (it would feel like normal breathing instead of a blend).

Aura Circles - Fae can sense nearby sources of magic in a circle around them. They also release signals into the energy field that other fae can detect. Your lift (height of your crown) indicates the size of your aura circle; higher crown means you can sense farther.

Range - Sharing magic requires you be close to one another, but when it comes to Seelie, it doesn’t require physical contact. It can even be done through a wall- you just have to be within one another’s aura circle.

Anti-Fairies don’t have aura circles, so they must be closer to share magic (usually the tips of their claws need to brush). Anti-Fairies are a snuggling species, so they normally share magic with friends while roosting together or intimate partners while mating.

Sharing magic literally involves opening your soul to visitors, allowing two partners to view each other on a neutral mindspace plane. Instead of a blank neutral zone, you can choose to invite someone to your core chamber: a personalized pocket dimension each fae possesses. Sharing magic is intimate because it involves blending minds in order to share thoughts and feelings that are difficult to articulate, allowing the second party to feel the brainwaves and emotions of the first (and vice versa).

When two partners come apart, it takes time for their lines to untangle back to normal, so for several minutes to a few hours, they continue sharing one another’s lines and magic pools. Partners whose lines are tangled are known as “snared.”

Snaring - Although sharing magic can be thought of as a sexual thing, it is widely viewed as a platonic equivalent: a deep and caring bond expressed between extremely close friends.

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Magic and Money

Magic power itself does not cost money, but wands run on magical rosewater, and large wishes drain rosewater faster than smaller wishes. Wands sometimes need to be refilled (every few months if you use your wand regularly and every few years if you use it sparingly- possibly every few weeks if you’re a godparent).

You can refill your wand at one of many rosewater stations that exists in the cloudlands. Many Fairies keep at least one rosewater tank at home for future use; those tanks can refill a wand eighty to a hundred times and can be quite expensive.

Rosewater Station - Gas stations don’t exist in the cloudlands, but rosewater stations do. They also sell basic groceries and candy. In my ‘fic Snips and Snails, Foop mentioned you have to be an adult to refill your slushee cup.

If a wand is devoid of rosewater, a Fairy can try to draw power directly from their life force. The body usually resists this for the same reasons it’s difficult to tickle yourself- you will only be successful if your brain treats the draw as a panic response. If your brain isn’t panicking, you will probably not be successful at drawing directly from your life force. A direct draw is the final defense mechanism of the Fairy body, and because it directly damages the Fairy, the body prevents it unless you’re in an emergency situation.

Unseelie Courters (Anti-Fairies and Refracts) regenerate if they’re “killed.” If their bodies have enough natural magic, they regenerate on their own. If someone is low on magic, it may take longer. They may get caught in limbo for a while and may require a donation of magic to bring them firmly back to reality.

Too Low on Magic - Genetics, old age, sickness, or if you’ve lost a considerable amount of magic before (by using magic frivolously, excessive bleeding, multiple pregnancies, and multiple regenerations).

Friends might donate magic to a friend the same way a human might buy lunch for someone, but if your friend is constantly killing himself for the thrill of it, your patience may run thin.

Anti-Fairy doctors will heal you with magic they’ve gathered previously, but they may expect payment for their services. Payment is often made with money, though food or fancy clothing may be acceptable payments in some places.

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Risks and Inconveniences

Keep in mind that shapeshifting and poofing short distances are actions performed with internal “pink” magic; those are easily performed and come with few risks attached. Besides monetary expenses and the drawbacks of pulling directly from your life force, there are other reasons fae may avoid using magic in my works as frivolously as they do in the show.

> Some people may not have a wand for personal or monetary reasons. Besides needing rosewater refills, the wand itself can break with overuse and some may not think it’s worth replacing. Kitchen wands that can perform only levitation and dish-cleaning magic exist, and vanity wands that can alter your face and hair also do. Do you really need an expensive ‘universal’ wand when specialty wands are much cheaper?

> Some fae do not have much magic to spare and consider using magic for shortcuts to be wasteful. Some have enough magic but see it weak or lazy to rely on magic as a crutch. Some limit magic usage for health reasons.

> Using magic does in fact age your body. A frivolous Fairy will have a shorter life than a frugal one (but does 20 or 30,000 years - only two or three years in human terms - really make much of a difference? That’s for the individual to decide).

> Using a lot of magic in a short time can be physically uncomfortable. The breathing lines connecting you to the energy field can feel limp and drained, and can easily get tangled. This causes discomfort for a Fairy, making them feel itchy, slimy, or flaky and dry (it may even be difficult to breathe).

> Trying to poof somewhere you can’t envision clearly can be dangerous. Most wands prevent you from trying at all, and will kick you back to where you just were if it can’t get a safe read on your destination.

>> Sometimes you literally can’t poof where you want to. At the end of Baby, You’re a Rich Man, H.P. and Sanderson were kicked back when they tried to teleport into the middle of a storm that was whipping the energy field around; it was too unstable to materialize at their original destination, so H.P. tried again and had them ping under a dry roof instead.

>> The technology preventing you from materializing inside something else is fairly new to the cloudlands and people are still getting used to it throughout Origin of the Pixies. In the past, many, many Fairies died due to jump-locking (fusing with something and being unable to revert back), contributing to Fairy World’s small population of 7,000 by the time H.P. was born. In modern Fairy World, special areas known as “teleportation pads” reroute poofing magic to a pad and allow you to materialize safely. Many Fairy World homes also have teleport pads in front yards, though that’s going out of fashion as more Fairies trust their wands won’t let them jump-lock.

> You shouldn’t try to reverse a spell if you don’t know exactly what the conditions of its casting were. Spells are still attached to their casters in the energy field, and you might hurt someone if you yank spells around. Some spells may have hexes embedded in them and may hurt you if you try to revert someone else’s spell.

>> Many curses have a “security system” of sorts attached that alerts the caster when someone is trying to undo a curse or trace it to its source. A caster who doesn’t want to be found may choose to cut ties with the curse so it can’t be traced back, or they may reveal themselves to the person they placed the curse on, ready to dish out further punishment.

> Magical backlash is a thing. Pure Fairy magic is extremely hot and pure Anti-Fairy magic is extremely cold. Casting certain spells may physically hurt a Fairy, and wands have a built-in mechanism to collapse certain wishes. In the Origin of the Pixies chapter “How Not to Bake Brownies,” H.P. received burn scars when he lay his cheek against the von Strangle staff while trying to channel magic.

>> In an early concept for Anti-Wanda, I planned for her rosewater-filled starpiece to hang on a necklace and she could shake it to use magic (the idea being that it kept her from losing it, and looked pretty too). I scrapped this idea upon realizing it would burn her throat. The fae struggle to create starpieces they can’t be easily separated from while also creating pieces that won’t burn them. It’s a vicious cycle of design. 1,000 years post-series, the Pixies do create starpiece watches that latch onto the hand and don’t burn skin, and in the far future they use starpiece earpieces.

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Healing Magic

Anti-Fairies are considered great healers. In the 130 Prompt “All I Ever Wanted,” Poof cast a painkiller charm on Anti-Marigold by reading it from an Anti-Fairy spellbook. Most Fairies would chuckle at this, not believing healing charms to have much value. Stereotypically, Fairies prefer their body’s natural healing and accept any pain that comes with it. They tough it out, and admitting you use painkillers would be a social embarrassment.

Although Fairies have created simple domestic wands for simple tasks (Cleaning dishes, styling hair, dousing fires, levitating objects, and so on), healing magic is not easily performed with a wand, at least not effectively. Anti-Fairy children are taught to memorize healing charms from a young age while Fairy parents sniff and steer their kids away from them.

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Geasa

A geis is a magical oath from Irish folklore. Typically, one is granted a great boon but only so long as they don’t break an oath. Some oaths may involve not eating dog meat or not refusing hospitality. Both these geasa were put upon the mythical hero Cú Chulainn. He was once tricked into a situation where these geasa came into conflict, forcing him to eat dog meat because he could not refuse hospitality. For breaking his geis, he lost his extreme strength and was killed shortly after.

Geasa do exist in the cloudlands and fae occasionally impose them upon each other, but they’re usually contained to the aristocracy. The Eros family, for instance, are under a geis to preserve every species in the universe or else they’ll lose their powers over love (and their lives). Many things godkids can’t wish for are prevented by Da Rules because they would violate a geis in some way (Ex: Only the Eros family may interfere with true love, only the Sandman is allowed to approve sleep wishes, and only the Tooth Fairies can mess with teeth).

Geasa are very serious matters in Fae culture and are not taken lightly.

The Colors of Magic

Magic beams normally come in one of five colors, with red a rare sixth color that usually appears if someone’s life is threatened. The five main colors are known as “the Fairy rainbow” and appear in decorations throughout Fairy World. Fairy World is divided into four regions, each represented by a Robe who sits on the Fairy Council. The Fairy Elder wears yellow.

Both Fairies and Anti-Fairies can see the color of magic. Fairies can also taste magic and Anti-Fairies can hear it.

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>> FLAVORS AND SOUNDS <<

Yellow - Hot and peppery - Like powerful waves flowing over sand

Blue - Cool and salty - Starts with a low hum before cracking loudly

Pink - Sour - Sounds like a sharp snap and catches you off guard

Purple - Sweet and warm - Sounds like a creek flowing over stones

Green - Sharp and spicy - Sounds low and lightly bubbling

Red - Bitter - Sounds like it’s boiling and seething

Below is a quick reference of what circumstances trigger which color. For more specifics, view the magic colors post HERE. Bold, bright, solid colors (opaque magic) indicate stronger emotions. Wispy pastels (transparent magic) indicate absentmindedness.

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>> BEAM COLORS <<

Yellow -> Putting others first; delight - Can only be reverted by the caster; does not revert itself with caster’s death

Blue -> Irritation; common in fights - Can be reverted by the caster or a bystander with great effort, but irritation must have subsided somewhat

Pink -> Knee-jerk response; also used in shapeshifting - Any bystander can revert it with a bit of effort

Purple -> Neutrality and rawness (Magic’s natural state) - Can only be reverted by caster; reverts itself with caster’s death

Green -> Misery and panic; can be triggered by laziness - Reverts itself within hours

Red -> Obsession and fear; survival instinct - Reverts itself within minutes

Yellow is associated with joy in Fairy World. Green means misery; if you draw an X through something you don’t like, you’ll probably draw a green X. Green is not associated with concepts such as “Go” and “Complete” but with “Avoid this.” Yellow is associated with concepts like “Great work!” and “You did it!”

The blood of magical creatures changes color the same way their beams do, with the default state being purple. Counterparts’ magic and blood reflect that of the host even if the counterpart is experiencing different emotions.

A Fairy’s life-giving organ is the core, which is found in the head chamber. All cores look white to physical eyes. However, using field-sight, core colors are revealed (meanings described below).

Physical and magical intimacy are both required for procreation, and one’s core color reveals the type of magic one was fertilized with. Long ago, only babies fertilized with yellow or purple magic survived to term fully healthy; the other magic colors were unstable and led to birth defects (pink and blue) or didn’t survive at all (red and green). Yellow magic lasts after death, but purple magic doesn’t, causing babies fertilized with purple magic (“purple-borns”) to die following the deaths of both parents.

Nowadays, the Eros Triplets use their arrows to ensure babies receive the appropriate amount of magic. However, core colors still reveal what was and what could have been. Purple-borns aren’t supposed to exist nowadays thanks to the Eros Triplets, but on rare occasions one slips through. The Head Pixie, who reproduces asexually, lives in mortal fear that his offspring and Pixie society will collapse with his death since he did not mate to fertilize his eggs.

Fae counterparts are born of purple magic and will die when their host does.

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>> CORE COLORS <<

Yellow -> The couple were extremely aroused, presumably delighted

Blue -> At least one of the couple wasn’t enthusiastic that night, or perhaps grew impatient as their partner teased them, but it wasn’t aggressive or painful

Pink -> The couple probably began the night with playfulness, not expecting it to go farther, but neither protested when it did

Purple -> The couple found that night to be relaxed and routine

Green -> Mating was perhaps aggressive or painful, but not to the point of panic; one partner may have been aggressive as a way of play

Red -> The mating was aggressive or painful to the point that one partner became fearful (for either their life or their partner’s)

(Note that these circumstances apply only to Fairies; counterparts reflect their host’s core color regardless of how their own parents felt about mating.)

A common quip in Fae society is “The firstborn gets the most magic.” A firstborn baby will receive additional magic layers around their core. The layer closest to the baby’s core will be the color of the father’s core, the outer later the mother’s. 

Social status is ranked as follows: Firstborn of both parents > Firstborn of only one parent > Second-born of first mate > Second-born of second-mate > Later kids

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Magic Specializations

Magic specializations rarely come up in my works by name since they’re the equivalent of college majors and it isn’t usually relevant, but they do exist and different characters have different specialties.

You can read about them HERE

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Magical Faux Pas

There may be social consequences for using magic in someone’s vicinity. The 130 Prompt “Make You Proud” shows two examples. Due to previous clashes with the Pixies, Wanda (justifiably) did not feel comfortable letting H.P. control the destination they poofed to. When she said “He’s with me,” referring to Timmy, she told H.P. to back down; it was worth the cost of poofing him if it meant he wouldn’t seize control.

Immediately after they left, Anti-Cosmo and Anti-Wanda were hit with a burst of hot magic, which negatively affected them since they are Anti-Fairies with cold body temperatures. It was a bit rude of Wanda to poof away right next to someone who would have that kind of reaction to her magic (though she can be excused in this scene for having her focus on H.P.) Similarly, in the Origin of the Pixies chapter “The Art of Starting Fires,” Ambrosine carried his son from an old building before he poofed away to ensure magic usage didn’t damage the building.

Poofing into someone’s private dwelling without being invited is also considered bad form. Some may find it acceptable for children and grandchildren to poof into your house with little warning, but generally the polite thing to do is arrive outside the door (using someone’s private teleport pad if one exists).

Polite People Use Doors - It’s polite to leave someone’s house through the door, then poof away. Certain buildings (such as museums with old, rare artifacts) are not appropriate places to poof inside or out of at all.

In “Playdate of Doom,” Foop showed excellent manners when he poofed a door into existence and waited on the other side of it instead of simply appearing in the room.

It’s rude to serve yourself in someone else’s home by poofing up a plate of food or a chair. In doing so, you are implying they aren’t a good host and they may take offense. Subtle hinting is preferred if you need something, and using magic to get it for yourself will embarrass those around you.

The above faux pas are pretty consistent for all fae races; further nuances exist according to the values of each culture.

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