Hi folks--
I realize this may be a bit of a basic question, and I apologize in advance if I have not read my source material closely enough!
I recently downloaded the Ars Magica 4th Edition core rules, and am developing ideas for an AM adventure. I am interested in both Dominion and Faerie involvement (actually, I'm interested in the interplay of Realms in general!).
In the AM description, on p241, I read that:
Faeries are spirits of places, attuned to the natural world.
There are faeries bound to forests, caves, lakes, mountains,
and oceans—all places primeval. Some, on the other hand,
make their homes in the world of humans: fields, roads,
farms, cities, and even churches (though priests hotly deny
it).
However, further on, p247, I see that:
If one truth may be applied to all faeriekind, it is that
they are universally repulsed by the divine. Faeries cannot
bear the presence of the Dominion and may go into hiding
where it holds sway, or move on to more secluded domains.
My question, then--how/why would faeries make their homes "even in churches" if they "cannot bear the Dominion" and "are universally repulsed by the Divine"? Unless, of course, their presence in a church means said church is not really part of the Dominion, or that they are conducting some sort of mischief to drive away agents of the Divine?
Are faeries similarly repulsed by the Infernal? Or are they likely to ally with Infernal powers against the hated Church?
Or, on the other hand, am I simply reading too much into these evocative passages?
Ordinarily, I don't trouble myself overly much on issues of this nature: My usual feeling is that if I'm GMing/running a game, I can tweak the setting as I like! However, when I'm potentially looking at sharing "storyguide" duties within a troupe, I want to be more careful!
Thanks for your insights!