Faerie Courts & Factions
These are the most significant and powerful major groupings of Faerie in Hibernia and perhaps the world. All are formed around at least one of the Tuatha De Danann though not all Tuatha De are a part of these groups. Other more minor Faerie factions and groups exist both in Hibernia and elsewhere. Each of these major Faerie factions can be assumed to have significant internal factions and politics of their own, much further than described here.
Court of Meadhbh
The Court of Summer, Light, Air, and Life. A formal and chivalric court of noble faerie houses conducting eternal politics that revolve around the ghost of their nominally dead Queen, Meabhbh. The heart of their court lies in the fortress of Meabhbh in Cruachan, found in Connacht yet the noble houses of faerie have holdings throughout Hibernia or indeed beyond. This Court is exemplified by chivalric knights and lords ruling lands and domains that somehow are side by side yet hidden from mundane society. Their political schemes, feuds, and even wars can span mortal generations yet are held to the strict courtly rules of their society. Within this Faerie societies all freely accepted bargains are sacred and binding. Most significantly the Court makes no secret that there is a plan for arranging the rebirth and a new life for Meabhbh herself, though details are never provided. Detractors say this is impossible and the Court is ever more on the wane, along with their strict and antiquated ways. Supporters say it is just a matter of time and the Lords of Summer know what they are doing and are never ones to share their plans before their time. If such were to come to pass there is no doubt that the Court of Summer would wax more powerful than ever.
Significant Faeries & Characters
Significant Locations
Court of Goibniu
The Court of Winter, Darkness, Earth, and Rebirth. Here are joined the major Goblin Clans along with the Dokkalfar who followed the Norse to Hibernia. Their Court is found in an underworld Regio beneath Athlone from which they administer a great Goblin Market. Finding the Goblin Market is the starting point of many legends and stories. How to access the Goblin Market is not a secret, since the Fae here do want to do business with people, however it still isn't a completely casual affair. Each new customer in search of the market is in some way tested for their earnestness and sincere interest, in a way unique and appropriate to them, before "finding" their own personal way in and out of the Regio network. The Goblins and Dokkalfar are master craftsmen and artificers, capable of building enchantments and constructs of great power. Their crafts and artifacts are all for sale at the Goblin Market though the prices are generally never so straight forward as money or even vis. The currency of the Market beyond anything else is Stories. Beyond the market itself and the undercity, Forionnag, of the clans and craftsmen that support it, the Court divides. The Dokkalfar administrate Forionnag and maintain it. The Goblin clans defend and patrol the city and conduct the broader trade interests of the Court outside of Forionnag and Athlone. The Dokkalfar are aloof, stern, and meticulous. The Goblins are more exuberant, hearty, and aggressive. Within the scope of their broader trade network the Goblins also manage and sponsor a crime network that perhaps doesn't quite dominate yet certainly reaches all of Hibernia at least, perhaps more.
Significant Faeries & Characters
Significant Locations
Court of Donn
The Court of Death, Entropy, Spirit, and Otherworlds. Donn is one of the greater Tuatha De and was a powerful ally of the Diedne. It is known in Hibernia however that he fought with them and was an ally of the House until it was destroyed and the Schism ended. Much knowledge of him, his court, and his motivations have been lost or suppressed since the Schism and the Quaesitorial banning of materials having to do with the Schism or House Diedne itself. There persist dark rumors that Donn is rebuilding his power still. An army of the dead and of ghosts that he gathers in his fortress of Teach Duinn on the Isle of Dursley, off the coast of Munster. The purpose of this rebuilding of power however remains a mystery.
Significant Faeries & Characters
Significant Locations
The Wild Hunt
The Hunt is nomadic and rides the Faerie Roads & Trods throughout Mythic Europe unpredictably and reveling in blood and destruction wherever it goes. The Lord of the Hunt is believed to be an avatar of Odin himself consorted by the bloody Badhbh. It is difficult yet not impossible to make peaceful contact with the Hunt, indeed groups of Riders have been known to act as mercenaries when it suited their interest. They are never cheap and only ever are interested in being part of attacks and raids. The Hunt also takes prisoners, though only the most desirable ones. Captives of The Hunt can be exorbitantly ransomed or if they are not may expect to be sold into slavery somewhere very distant from their point of capture if not literally into Faerie itself.
Significant Faeries & Characters
Significant Locations
Faerie Roads & Trods
First some references to firmly establish our starting point. I will be trying to avoid repeating this material and instead seeking to only amplify or interpret for the purposes of the saga.
Faerie Roads
RoP: Faerie pg 17
Faerie Trods
RoP: Faerie pg 21, Inset
Hibernian Faerie High Roads
TCI pg 123
The Five High Roads & The Road Guardians
These are the arteries of magical travel in Hibernia and are used not only by Faeries but by all supernatural travelers capable of accessing them. In Hibernia this is a more common method of travel than in other Tribunals. Indeed as the Redcaps themselves use the Faerie Roads this makes the roads also integral to how the Order of Hermes is tied together in Hibernia.
Lesser Roads
While I do not intend to map them out in detail one can assume a multitude of lesser Faerie Roads throughout the world and in particular throughout Hibernia. These would be more difficult and/or potentially less predictable to find the more minor they are, but as a general potentially rule present with the right factors in play.
Where Do You Find Them?
Faeries Roads can originate from and/or connect multiple types of sites that are of varying interest to Faeries. Not all such sites have connecting Faerie Roads or Trods, they are simply what are commonly connected by these Faerie Pathways when they are found.
The Roads & Redcaps
For ease of play one can assume that a Redcap completing their Apprenticeship in Hibernia has achieved a pact with all of the Road Guardians. Such a Redcap is generally able to travel the High Roads without significant danger barring unusual circumstances due to the protection of the Guardians. Magi likewise frequently travel using the Roads though not all do.
Inchmore & the Roads & Trods
There is a Trod/Lesser Road on the western shore of Lough Ree in established canon. (TCI pg 47)
This is integral to the road hooks that have been selected for the Covenant and provides both a connection running North/South between the High Roads An tSlighe Mhor and Slighe Assail, as well as connections to further lesser Trods networked throughout Connacht. Travel using the roads heading east requires heading north or south to connect to the High Roads.
The Roads & Trods Beyond Hibernia
Faeries Roads are not phenomenon that are unique to Hibernia. They are especially pervasive in Hibernia due to the extent of the presence of Faerie there. Such Roads & Trods may be assumed to be present in other Tribunals judging by both their proximity to Hibernia and the extent of the power and presence of Faerie in the Tribunal in question.
Those with the appropriate virtues and/or lores could make use of the broader network of Faerie.
Known Permanent Connections
This High Road can be followed to Stonehenge, a site of further connections in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Traversing the road from its departure from Hibernia to arriving at Stonehenge (approximately a distance of 230 miles) at the pace of a normal traveler (approximately 20 to 30 miles per day) takes roughly a week of subjective time.
This High Road can be followed to Carnac, a site of further connections founds in the Normandy Tribunal. Traversing the road from its departure from Hibernia to arriving at Carnac (approximately a distance of 200 miles) at the pace of a normal traveler (approximately 20 to 30 miles per day) takes roughly a week of subjective time.
This High Road can be followed to Kilmarten Glen, a site of further connections found in the Loch Leglean Tribunal. Traversing the road from its departure from Hibernia to arriving at Kilmarten Glen (approximately a distance of 300 miles) at the pace of a normal traveler (approximately 20 to 30 miles per day) takes roughly two weeks of subjective time.