Though still reclusive by draconic standards, amethyst dragons are the most diplomatic of the gem dragons. They favor nonviolent negotiations, but even deals they make in good faith seem to end in their favor. They make their lairs welcoming to humanoid guests and are always eager to resolve a conflict with words before resorting to talons or the earth-shattering force of their breath weapons.

Master Manipulators. To meet an amethyst dragon is to become its puppet. The moment it becomes aware of a creature, the dragon is already plotting to thwart the creature’s plans or claim it as a pawn. An amethyst dragon’s only saving grace is its lack of malice. Rarely does an amethyst dragon kill its foes outright, considering such violence a needless waste of resources. Instead, it seeks to turn each situation to its advantage—and occasionally to the advantage of its allies as well.

Angels are the immortal servants of the gods and the extensions of divine power. They aid mortals, battle fiends, and further their deity’s causes. While most angels are good, some evil deities are served by evil angels. All angels hold their god’s divine laws as sacred.

Angels appear as awe-inspiring, winged humanoids of unearthly beauty and strength.

No Possessions. To angels, the physical world is not as real as their native realm of divine energy. Angels own no physical objects of their own, though they may sometimes safeguard another being’s treasure. Even an angel’s garments and weapons are made of astral energy and are changeable according to the angel’s needs.

Angels of Chaos. Legends tell of angels of chaotic alignment that travel the astral realm alone, unaffiliated with any god. They claim that angels existed before gods, and that the “fall of angels” was when most angels forsook their independence to become servants of the gods.

Aligned. An angel radiates a Lawful aura. Most angels also radiate a Good aura, and a few radiate Evil.

Celestial Dissolution. When an angel dies, its body and equipment dissolve into motes of light.

Detect Alignment. An angel knows the alignment, if any, of each creature within 30 feet that it can see.

Immortal Nature. An angel doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.

In a world filled with magic, even the most mundane object might be more than it appears. Animated objects can sit motionless for years, only to spring to life at their master’s command. Though animated objects do not normally possess personalities of their own, some mirror the traits of their creator, their environment, or the creatures they interact with regularly.

Tireless Guardians. Their innocuous appearance makes animated objects the perfect guardians for those looking to catch intruders by surprise. Because they do not eat or rest, such objects can remain at their posts for centuries, long after their original owners have moved on.

Endless Variety. With potent enough magic, nearly any object can be granted the semblance of life. Creators of animated objects might weave other magic into their handiwork, such as the ability to sense falsehoods spoken in the item’s presence, immunity to a certain element or spell, or a curse that befalls whoever destroys the object.

With a death’s-head face and black wings like a tattered cloak, a black dragon somewhat resembles the humanoid personification of death. And indeed, of all chromatic dragons, the black dragon is the one most fascinated by death and ruin. Dwelling in rotting swamps among fallen and forgotten monuments, a black dragon revels in terror and decay.

Cruel Ambushers. Black dragons are equally at home high in the night sky or hiding beneath the murky waters of their swamp lairs. They can surround themselves with magical pools of inky shadow. With many ways to hide from prey, black dragons are deadly ambush hunters. Most black dragons relish the fear of their quarry and draw out their hunts as long as possible. Sometimes they reveal themselves long before they first strike simply to menace their foes. At other times, they grant wounded prey temporary respite, allowing the illusion of escape before plunging their quarry into darkness and terror.

Ancient Monuments. Black dragons are both attracted to—and the cause of—decay and ruin.
They often lair within the palaces of fallen kingdoms, especially those they helped topple. The corrupting
influence of a black dragon’s presence turns ground to turn to mud, causes grasping plants to crack stone,
and eventually drowns old relics under the stinking bog. But even long-buried peoples still seem alive to
the black dragon. It holds ancient rivals in a mixture of contempt and reverence, and often gloats over
the dead it has drowned. Collectors and students of ancient relics and treasure, black dragons are
eager to share their knowledge about ancient mysteries—though the questioner may not long
survive the answer.

Life Beyond Death. With their fixation on time and mortality, black dragons are the most common dragon liches. If personal undeath is beyond a black dragon’s arcane power, it may seek to bolster its physical defenses by creating armies of undead servants. Zombified would-be dragonslayers, as well as moldering skeletons from ages past, may patrol a black dragon’s lair alongside living minions.

A blue dragon soars overhead, nearly invisible against the cloudless sky. It spies a wagon far below and dives to breathe lightning on its unsuspecting prey. The wagon’s riders are felled by a bolt from the blue.

Careful Attackers. While not cowardly, blue dragons don’t relish physical combat. A blue dragon’s lightning breath has the longest range of any chromatic dragon’s breath weapon, and it uses that advantage against prey, humanoid foes, and draconic rivals. It strikes its target from extreme long range, flies away, and returns later to devour its prey or to finish the job with another lightning bolt. Even in melee combat, blue dragons are more dispassionate than many of their fellow dragons, breaking off and retreating whenever there is nothing to be gained from further battle.

Voracious Appetites. Blue dragons don’t bear the rage of a red dragon or the malice of a black dragon. What they possess instead is an all-consuming hunger and thirst. A blue dragon spends most of its time on the hunt, gorging itself on every living thing it can catch or guzzling vast quantities of water.

A blue dragon’s presence magically warps its surroundings. Water flows, even uphill, towards the dragon’s place of rest. The land dries out for miles as water and life collect around the dragon’s lair, forming a paradisiacal oasis. Attracted by the smell of water, thirsty animals make their way to the lair—and in doing so become prey to the dragon.

Of all the chromatic dragons, the blue dragon wreaks the longest-lasting damage to its environment. Long after a blue dragon has died or departed, its land remains a wasteland marked by a single, vibrant oasis.

Of all dragons, none is more likely to talk your ear off than a brass. Gregarious creatures, brass dragons have been known to invite would-be dragons layers into their lairs simply to share gossip. They have a habit of losing track of time in pleasant company, however, so visitors too polite (or too fearful) to interrupt a brass dragon could find themselves trapped in its lair for days on end.

Sages and Scholars. Brass dragons often turn their hoarding instinct toward accumulating vast libraries. As a result, many are experts in a wide array of subjects. Brass dragons are careful not to share their knowledge too freely, however, as they know all too well what havoc short-lived humanoids can cause when their information supplants wisdom. Brass dragons may even take it upon themselves to reclaim knowledge used for evil ends — or hire adventurers to do so on their behalf.

Hermits and Advisors. As brass dragons age, some grow weary of the short-lived triumphs and repeated mistakes of humanoids. Others, however, become even more involved in humanoid politics. As they learn to shape shift, older brass dragons may assume positions as royal advisors in order to steer the short-lived folk onto what they see as the proper path.

Fascinated by the endless rhythms of the sea, bronze dragons spend hours studying their seaside dominions, transfixed by the flight paths of birds, the migrations of fish, or the accumulation of sea foam against a mossy rock. Some bronze dragons even make their lairs near humanoid settlements, so as to more closely watch the ships as they sail in and out of port. 

Curious and Mysterious. Though fascinated with the natural world, bronze dragons prefer to make their observations from afar. They avoid influencing the objects of their scrutiny, but on the odd occasion they are exposed, bronze dragons make the best of it, asking intrusive questions and analyzing the answers they receive for days on end.

Tests and Trials. When a creature seeks a bronze dragon’s wisdom, the dragon always knows they’re coming. It sets out a number of trials to test the knowledge-seeker, so as to better gauge their motivations before they arrive. Such ordeals rarely involve the dragon appearing personally, but they can be perilous nonetheless.

Butterflies and Hurricanes. No one knows better than a bronze dragon that a small action can have far-reaching consequences. Bronze dragons sometimes dispatch agents to gather specific information about the world around them. This might mean infiltrating a warlord’s inner circle to discover where her warships will sail this season, or exploring the interior of a long-deserted isle. Though such knowledge might seem irrelevant to adventurers bent on saving the world, the dragon requires it to further its efforts to promote the greater good. 

Named after their brightly-scaled hides, chromatic dragons can be found from the highest peaks to the thickest salt marshes. Chromatic dragons are the most common—as well as the most rapacious—of true dragons. They exert their will on the world via their peerless combat strength and by wreaking changes on their environments.

Twisted Lairs. A chromatic dragon is greedy even by draconic standards. Treasure, once acquired, is guarded carefully. A chromatic dragon makes its lair in a punishing, nearly inaccessible, location filled with traps and treacherous precipices. The dragon values worshipful allies, particularly kobolds and dragonborn , that can help patrol its lands and guard its lair against thieves.

The area around a chromatic dragon’s lair slowly comes to reflect the dragon’s nature. A black dragon’s territory becomes an acidic swamp, while the plants around a blue dragon’s lair wither as the land becomes parched. What’s worse, chromatic dragons are driven by boundless hunger, and most take no pains to preserve life within their hunting areas. Once the dragon has exhausted the land of prey, it may move on to a new lair.

The area controlled and twisted by a dragon increases as the dragon ages. While a wyrmling may have no established domain, a young dragon controls an area within a mile radius of its lair. Inside that area, the environment slowly changes to suit the dragon. An adult dragon magically corrupts a radius of five to 10 miles around its lair, while an ancient dragon might create a poisoned forest, a lifeless tundra, or other hostile environment that extends out 30 miles or more. A great wyrm, during its few waking periods, might create environmental conditions that devastate an entire continent.

Dynastic Struggles. In a time long past, dragons claimed a mighty, if short-lived, empire. Nowadays, most dragons are solitary creatures that see other dragons as potential threats. In the last few centuries, however, some chromatic dragons have rediscovered the value of cooperation. Such dragon clans may come to rule nations or even empires, demanding tribute and military service from the humanoids they rule. Elder dragons govern as monarchs, while younger ones claw their way up the ladder of command amidst a climate of intrigue, backstabbing, and duels to the death. Such an empire, if left unchecked, could pose a threat to the freedom of the entire world—and the treasure it amassed
could be truly staggering.

Named after their brightly-scaled hides, chromatic dragons can be found from the highest peaks to the thickest salt marshes. Chromatic dragons are the most common—as well as the most rapacious—of true dragons. They exert their will on the world via their peerless combat strength and by wreaking changes on their environments.

Twisted Lairs. A chromatic dragon is greedy even by draconic standards. Treasure, once acquired, is guarded carefully. A chromatic dragon makes its lair in a punishing, nearly inaccessible, location filled with traps and treacherous precipices. The dragon values worshipful allies, particularly kobolds and dragonborn , that can help patrol its lands and guard its lair against thieves.

The area around a chromatic dragon’s lair slowly comes to reflect the dragon’s nature. A black dragon’s territory becomes an acidic swamp, while the plants around a blue dragon’s lair wither as the land becomes parched. What’s worse, chromatic dragons are driven by boundless hunger, and most take no pains to preserve life within their hunting areas. Once the dragon has exhausted the land of prey, it may move on to a new lair.

The area controlled and twisted by a dragon increases as the dragon ages. While a wyrmling may have no established domain, a young dragon controls an area within a mile radius of its lair. Inside that area, the environment slowly changes to suit the dragon. An adult dragon magically corrupts a radius of five to 10 miles around its lair, while an ancient dragon might create a poisoned forest, a lifeless tundra, or other hostile environment that extends out 30 miles or more. A great wyrm, during its few waking periods, might create environmental conditions that devastate an entire continent.

Dynastic Struggles. In a time long past, dragons claimed a mighty, if short-lived, empire. Nowadays, most dragons are solitary creatures that see other dragons as potential threats. In the last few centuries, however, some chromatic dragons have rediscovered the value of cooperation. Such dragon clans may come to rule nations or even empires, demanding tribute and military service from the humanoids they rule. Elder dragons govern as monarchs, while younger ones claw their way up the ladder of command amidst a climate of intrigue, backstabbing, and duels to the death. Such an empire, if left unchecked, could pose a threat to the freedom of the entire world—and the treasure it amassed
could be truly staggering.

Playful and whimsical, copper dragons often involve themselves in the affairs of short-lived folk, though their contributions to history aren’t always positive. While copper dragons aren’t generally malevolent, they are incorrigible tricksters and rarely understand the different between a joke and outright cruelty. Of all dragons, copper dragons are the ones most likely to live near humanoids, as they are always searching for new targets for their pranks.

Flighty Urges. As they grow older, copper dragons exhibit all manner of unusual interests. They may yearn for a simpler life and use their shapeshifting to pass themselves off as a farmer or wanderer. They may decide they’re interested in politics and start secretly advising a noble on how to best run a nation. They may tunnel under a wishing well and give life advice to anyone who tosses in a coin. The only consistent feature of the impulses is that they’re short-lived. Inevitably, a copper grows bored of its exploits and abandons them, possibly leaving many people high and dry in the process. 

Friendly, If Troublesome. Despite their mischievous natures, copper dragons rarely mean to do harm. If made to understand the trouble they’ve caused, they can usually be counted on to compensate their victims. Convincing a copper dragon to see the error of its ways, however, is rarely a simple task.

Demons embody the destructive nature of chaos. Whereas most scholars believe that devils were once fallen angels (or the souls of mortals corrupted by them) demons arise spontaneously from the formless havoc of the Abyss. Most demons are little more than mindless monsters, and even the shrewdest demon lord is gripped by a madness that mortals can’t fathom. Distracted by neither compassion nor logic, the gnashing hordes of the Abyss are an unrelenting engine of destruction.

Never-Ending Chaos. Like the plane from which they spring, demons seem to be infinite in number. While a particularly crazed or evil mortal might transform into a demon upon their death, far more often it is the Abyss itself that spawns these foul creatures. The process never ceases and—judging from the billions of demons that currently exist—has been occurring since the dawn of time. To make matters worse, a demon killed on the Material Plane re-forms in the Abyss eager to resume its campaign of destruction. The only way to destroy a demon permanently is to slay it in the Abyss. But for every demon that falls, a thousand others clamor to take its place.

Existential Threat. The threat demons pose to the multiverse is so profound that even angels and devils may join forces to oppose them. Though brilliant tacticians, devils understand the hordes of the Abyss outnumber them and have turned occasionally to the armies of Heaven to bolster their ranks. Angels, for their part, grudgingly recognize that Hell’s willingness to fight unfettered by morals has proven effective, even if they refuse to break those shackles themselves. Though never entered into happily, both angels and devils agree such alliances are preferable to complete annihilation.

Abyssal Incursions. As with other extraplanar creatures, mortals can use magic to summon individual demons to the Material Plane. Even the mightiest wizard, however, lacks the power to call an entire horde of demons from the Abyss. Instead, demons invade the mortal world through tears in the fabric of reality itself. Such rifts allow an unending stream of demons to pour through and wreak destruction like a plague. Even after the rift is sealed, the surrounding landscape remains blighted for generations afterward.

Cults of Madness. Demon lords care nothing for the mortals who worship them, yet this does not stop some crazed individuals from venerating them as gods. When these troubled souls find each other, cults will form, especially if one of its members proves to be a charismatic leader. Demon cultists are often bound together by the mistaken belief that their activities will earn them favor with the demon lord they serve. Just as often, however, they are twisted sadists or simply nihilistic, eager to throw away their lives if doing hastens the destruction of the world.

Devils occupy a vast yet rigid hierarchy dedicated to the corruption of goodness across the multiverse. While their numbers are impossible to count, all devils understand their place in the infernal order and scheme unendingly to improve their station. The most powerful devils spend eons rising through the ranks of hell, assembling legions to wage war against their demonic counterparts or to challenge the authority of the gods. These archdevils rule entire planes of existence and yet like mortal tyrants are often prisoners of their own paranoia. Even the mightiest devils know their subordinates eye them with terrifying patience, waiting for them to show the slightest sign of weakness.

The Fall. Most scholars believe devils were celestials cast out of the heavens when they plotted to overthrow the gods. Millennia later, devils remain imprisoned in the infernal realms, escaping only when a mortal summons them or opens a gate to the Material Plane. Devils who find their way to the mortal world are especially cautious, as dying there means they must face the wrath of their superiors when they return to hell.

The Armies of Hell. The hierarchy of hell resembles that of a mortal army. The weakest devils serve as cannon fodder in these legions and are commanded by increasingly powerful ranks of lieutenants, captains, and generals. Pit fiends lead the fiendish armies into battle and advise the true masters of the infernal realms, the ancient beings known as archdevils. Devils are unfailingly obedient to their superiors, and yet each is eager to take its commander’s place should that devil stumble.

Hell’s Bargain. A devil killed in hell is destroyed forever, so devils rely upon the souls of mortals to replenish their numbers. A devil summoned to the Material Plane will promise great power or riches in return for a soul and may even submit to serving a mortal if it means claiming another recruit for the legions of hell. A mortal who pledges their soul to
a devil might enjoy a lifetime of worldly pleasures. But when that mortal dies, their condemned soul is carried off to hell and transformed into a lemure , the lowliest of devils.

The Path of Diabolism. Though devils long to escape their infernal prisons, calling one to the mortal realm is no simple task. Elaborate rituals—outlined in only the most  ancient and forbidden tomes—must be performed to summon a devil to the Material Plane. Diabolists looking to press a devil into their service without forfeiting their soul must go to even greater lengths. Doing so often requires a blood sacrifice, speaking the devil’s true name, or drawing upon the magical power of a talisman linked to the devil’s essence.

The stuff of legend in cold and temperate lands, dinosaurs rule arid grasslands and steaming fens and jungles. Although not inherently magical, the majesty of these mighty lizards invokes sheer primal awe; even the most docile herbivores can be earth-shattering titans.

Many Species. The hundreds of known species of dinosaurs share little in common with each other. Of the landbound dinosaurs, predators tend to run on two legs, while herbivores often walk on four. Some dinosaurs have armored or scaly hides while others bear bright, birdlike feathers. The largest predators, like tyrannosaurus rex , resemble wingless dragons—but dinosaurs are beasts, not magical creatures.

Domesticated Beasts. In the lands where dinosaurs dwell, humanoids frequently revere large dinosaurs as demigods (using such honorifics as “thunderbeast”and “behemoth”),  and they domesticate smaller dinosaurs as extraordinary farm animals and pets. Warriors ride triceratops and pteranodons into battle, a fact that makes the eggs of these dinosaurs highly prized. While the tyrannosaurus rex is difficult to train for war, many druids honor it as among the mightiest of beasts.

Mysterious History. While few deny that dinosaurs exist today, historical records suggest the great beasts were once extinct. This has led to endless speculation about what triggered the dinosaurs’ return: possibilities include druidic magic, divine intervention, or even a mass migration across a theoretical Plane of Time.

A khalkos can infect an intelligent creature with a horrifying disease , injecting khalkos larvae directly into the creature’s skull. While infected with this disease, the host undergoes the following changes:

Telepathy. The host gains telepathy out to a radius of 120 feet. Additionally, the host can telepathically communicate with the khalkos that infected it over any distance, as long as they are on the same plane.

Trust. Whenever a khalkos makes a Charisma check to convince the host of its good intentions, it does so with advantage . If it succeeds, the host becomes friendly to it no matter its previous attitude. 

After 10 (3d6) days, the host develops a splitting headache and is incapacitated for 24 hours. At the end of this time, the host dies. If the host has an alignment trait, 2 or 3 khalkos spawn burst out of the host’s skull after 1 round.

Greater restoration or a similar spell cast with at least a 5th-level spell slot is required to kill the brain larvae and remove the disease.

Some dragons seek to defy death, becoming undead dragon liches. Such a dragon channels its inherent magical nature into an arcane spark that grants it a semblance of life beyond death. Scales and flesh slough off the dragon lich, eventually leaving nothing but a skeletal dragon brooding over moldering treasure.

In order to become a dragon lich, a dragon must imbue its spirit into a soul vessel. The vessel is usually some treasured item from the dragon’s hoard, such as a particularly valuable gem or piece of jewelry. The dragon can’t bear to be apart from its soul vessel and keeps it close among its hoard. The only way to permanently defeat a dragon lich is to destroy both the dragon and the soul vessel.

Any adult or older dragon with spellcasting ability may become a dragon lich. Chromatic dragons most often become dragon liches. A dragon lich retains all the statistics of the original dragon except as noted below.

Type. The dragon’s type is Undead (dragon).

Breath Weapon. When the dragon uses a breath weapon that deals damage, half of its damage is the original damage type and half is necrotic damage.

Expanded Spell List. The dragon can cast animate dead  with no material components three times per day. An ancient or older dragon can cast create undead with no material components three times per day.

Immunities. The dragon gains immunity to necrotic and poison damage. It can’t be charmed , fatigued ,  frightened , paralyzed , or poisoned .

The dragon lich’s Legendary Resistance trait is replaced with the following:

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). When the dragon fails a saving throw , it can choose to succeed instead. When it does, it loses its Undead Telepathy trait until the end of its next turn. Until the end of its next turn, undead creatures under its control are incapacitated .

The dragon lich gains the following traits:

Rejuvenation. If it has a soul vessel, a destroyed dragon lich gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points. The new body forms within 10 feet of the soul vessel.

Turn Resistance. The dragon lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Undead Nature. A dragon lich doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.

Undead Telepathy. The dragon lich can communicate telepathically with undead creatures within 120 feet.

Inexorably tied to monuments of rock and stone, earth dragons share the quiet patience and the harsh indifference of the land itself. Most earth dragons are slow to action, and even slower to anger. All things pass, and the rise and fall of civilizations are like the flowers, beautiful in their time but not to last. Only threats to their bonded lands are given  consideration—but when roused to anger, earth dragons devastate their enemies like a landslide.

Slumbering Peaks. Earth dragons of jagged peaks grow sharp scales, while the scales of desert dragons look more like those of serpents. When still, earth dragons blend in perfectly with their environment. They might spend days or weeks slumbering between meals, leading many travelers to mistake them for natural stone outcroppings. Some dragons move so infrequently that they become landmarks, outdating maps on the rare occasions that they rise from their perches.

Mountain Kings. Except when defending their home, earth dragons are largely indifferent to other creatures. Rarely, earth dragons come to regard the little villages atop their mountains as inherent features of their land. In such cases, these settlements offer tribute (usually precious stones) to their draconic protector. Living sacrifices are sometimes offered, as well—usually beasts of burden, although more significant sacrifices must be made to appease the arrogant and wrathful earth dragons of volcanoes.

Emerald dragons claim their kind once ruled the world—a loss the dragons still bemoan, despite the fact the claim has no historical merit. The plots of emerald dragons revolve around revenge directed at anyone the dragon believes to have slighted it. Gaining an audience with an emerald dragon is a herculean task, one often rewarded by death from the dragon’s ear-splitting screams.

Revenge Cults. Emerald dragons form alliances based on the principle that the enemy of their enemy is their friend. They seek out those who share their animosity, working from the shadows to undermine their mutual foes. Many tyrants have found themselves undone by sedition and revolt, completely unaware their downfall was caused by an innocuous action decades in the past that drew an emerald dragon’s ire.

Maddening Spite. Anyone who spends time in an emerald dragon’s lair feels increasingly anxious, and not just because of the many carefully hidden traps. Innocent acts may be perceived as preambles of betrayal, while true offenses are considered declarations of war. This sense of paranoia is not simply imagined. An emerald dragon’s delusions resonate throughout its lair and take root in nearby minds, filling them with a single, persistent thought: they are out to get you, and you should get them first.

Whereas chromatic dragons reshape the land and metallic dragons cultivate it, essence dragons embody the land. Every essence dragon reflects the nature of its home; ancient mountain ranges, great rivers, and even accursed wastelands all have their draconic counterparts.

Patron Spirits. Essence dragons are bound to their chosen lands, and their power waxes and wanes with its strength. If a river dries up, its dragon may die; as necrotic power corrupts a valley, its dragon may transform into a shadow dragon .

Some essence dragons are guardians of their lands’ inhabitants. In such places, villages pay reverence to the wisdom of their earth dragon or the blessings of their river dragon . In less hospitable environments, essence dragons are as indifferent to mortals as the land itself.

Essence dragons bolster the vitality of the place they’re bound to, but they also present a vulnerability. When an essence dragon is killed, its land dies with it. Forests wither, rivers give way to mire, and mountains erupt with the fury of the dragon’s death throes.

Eternal Souls. Like all dragons, essence dragons are long-lived but not immortal. However, when an essence dragon succumbs to old age, a wyrmling hatches from a long-buried egg. This reborn dragon is heir to the hazy memories of its parent’s past, as well as to the land itself.

Essence Link. The essence dragon is spiritually linked to a specific area or landmark. The dragon gains no benefit from a long rest when more than 1 mile away from its linked area. If the dragon dies, the area it is linked to loses its vital essence until it forms a new essence dragon, which can take centuries. When a creature first enters an area that has lost its vital essence in this way, they gain a level of fatigue and a level of strife . This fatigue and strife can be removed only by completing a long rest outside the area.

Faeries are luminous, elfin creatures with delicate wings resembling those of butterflies or dragonflies. Though they can appear deceptively non-threatening, faeries wield great power on their home plane, variously called the Dreaming, the Feywild, or Fairyland. Many people assume all faeries are the size of the tiny pixies often seen on the Material Plane. In the Dreaming, where time and space are mutable, powerful faeries change sizes as they do clothes, appearing as pixie-sized beings one day and towering
giants the next.

Faerie Courts. Faeries are loosely organized into feudal courts, with each faerie subject to the rule of a powerful archfey . Within their own realms, archfey have nearly godlike power over the land and are able to raise forests, fell mountains, and even change seasons at will. Most archfey align themselves with one of two rival factions: the seelie and unseelie courts. While all fairies are prone to mischief, the seelie courts often spare creatures who meet their arbitrary standards of beauty and worthiness. The unseelie courts, on the other hand, revel in the grotesque and are prone to unprovoked malice. Neither faction can be said to be “good” or “evil”: concepts of morality are foreign to faeries.

Rules and Favors. Mysterious laws bind faeries to one another in complex webs of obligation. A creature that performs a seemingly innocuous act, such as speaking the faerie’s name or giving it a certain food, may earn the right to claim a favor from a faerie. The nature and timing of the favor is up to the faerie: it might take the form of advice, service, aid in battle, safe passage—or something seemingly useless or inconvenient, such as a magic bean or glowing hair. Refusing to accept a faerie’s favor is considered a grave insult.