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Faerie Areas

This page contains Tiarnan's descriptions of various Faerie areas in the vicinity of Severn Temple covenant. You can find details of some of the faeries mentioned below here.

The Faerie Regio

The Faerie Regio lies about a mile to the west of Severn Temple covenant, deep within the Forest of Dean. The Regio, which has several levels, is home to a wide variety of Faerie beings, ranging from lowly sprites to the highest born members of the Faerie Courts. Somewhat mysteriously, the Regio also contains places of power associated with several pagan Gods and Goddesses, a fact that puzzles the Magi of Severn Temple to this day.

The lowest level of the Regio

There is no grand gateway to mark the entrance to the lowest level of the Regio, since the boundary lies within a dense stretch of woodland. However, those with experience of the Dean are able to recognise the area and, once through the entrance, the observant can discern a subtle change in the nature of the trees once one passes through into the Regio.

Palug's Glade

Palug's glade is the first area of interest encountered when venturing into the Regio from Severn Temple, though this may have as much to do with the intent of the traveller as with physical geography. The area is circled by a group of tall oak trees; there is also a tall oak tree at the centre of the glade. Tiarnan has built a small tree house, consisting of a main living platform and a higher lookout platform, within the branches of the tree; the lower platform houses a small laboratory. Palug himself appears to live in a tiny house at the bottom of the tree. A ring of Faerie mushrooms grows within the glade during the summer; these mushrooms are a source of Imagonem vis for the covenant.

Other important notes on Palug's Glade: 1111 AD, 1116 AD, 1152 AD and 1154 AD.

Other areas

The Magi of Severn Temple have found relatively few other areas of interest within the lowest level of the Regio, though this may reflect the fact that they typically move through the area into the higher levels of the Regio, rather than exploring the lowest level. Flocks of elusive Faerie birds can occasionally be seen in the treetops, though they rarely congregate in the same place. The feathers of these birds are a source of Auram vis. There is also a stream that flows from the mundane level, through the lowest level of the Regio and into a higher level (see later for details of Nectan's pool). Finally, there is also a tree that is reputedly the home of Sigiltis, messenger of Ludd, the Faerie ing of the Sky. The Magi have not explored the tree.

The second level of the Regio

The second level of the Regio feels significantly different from the first. Although a unwitting traveller through the first level might not realise that the place was anything other than a dense forest, the second level is altogether stranger. The paths through the forest appear to meander in an unnatural manner, and the unwary can quickly become lost. The trees appear even older and taller than those in the lower level, and many are twisted in ways that those unfamiliar with Faerie areas may find disconcerting.

Gofynwy's cave

Gofynwy the Faerie smith resides in a large cave within the second level of the Regio. The route through the forest to the cave is difficult to find, though it is sometimes possible to find it by listening out for the sound of his hammer striking stone. The cave itself contains many different types of stone, including precious jewels, which the smith works when creating his items. At the back of the cave, there is a long passage that eventually leads to the Halls of Gofannon, the Faerie Mountain King.

Other important notes on Gofynwy's cave: 1105 AD.

The Summer Glade

The Summer Glade is home to Nynniaw, Lord of Oak, one of the most powerful Faeries of the woodlands. The glade appears to be the heart of seelie power and influence in the Regio. It is protected from the influence of Nynniaw's unseelie rivals by some unknown magics, though in years gone by, the Erechwydd and the Ruadan often tried to trick the Magi into helping her to gain control over the area. The glade is dominated by a great oak tree; it is not clear whether this is one of Nynniaw's forms, or whether it is a gateway to Arcadia, where the Lord of Oak dwells.

Other important notes on the Summer Glade: 1082 AD, 1106 AD and 1131 AD.

The Morrigan's Hill

The Morrigan's Hill lies surrounded by dark forest, which is home to a horde of giant spiders and wolves. The hill itself is relatively small, and it is crowned by a low standing stone, which is covered by ancient carvings. The site is dedicated to the pagan Goddess Morrigan, who is associated with battle, blood and disease. The hill was once home to the faerie sorceress Ruadan, but her successor, Bethwyn, now inhabits the place.

Other important notes on the Morrigan's Hill: 1143 AD and 1145 AD.

The Cave of Snakes


The cave is entered by a winding passage with unusually smooth walls. There is a shallow pool at the centre of the cave, which is fed by a small waterfall. The cascading water makes a hissing noise as it hits the surface of the pool, which accounts for the cave's name. Some sort of shadowy serpent is also rumoured to live within the cave, though it has been spied only fleetingly. Many years ago, the Ruadan used to come to the cave to shed tears, though the Magi never truly got to the bottom of her sorrow. The tears solidified into small black spheres in the water, each one of which contained a pawn of Perdo vis.

Other important notes on the Cave of Snakes: 1097 AD, 1128 AD and 1129 AD.

Nechtan's Pool

Nechtan's Pool is difficult to find, for the surrounding forest seems to twist and warp in an effort to halt the progress of explorers. However, following the stream from the lower level of the Regio can potentially lead the traveller to this place, which consists of a deep pool of still, dark water surrounded by ancient trees. There is a cold, solemn atmosphere about the pool, which suggests that it has some sort of unseelie affiliation. Nechtan is a pagan God with links to the power of prophecy, and it is said that drinking the water can bring visions of the past, present or future, though the last of these comes at a price.

Other important notes on Nechtan's Pool: 1153 AD.

Morfan's Glade

Morfan, an unseelie faerie of the rot, lives in a fallen tree at the centre of a small glade. The tree is mouldy and seems on the point of disintegration, though Morfan is evidently happy living within the hollow core. The glade is full of mosses, mushrooms and toadstools, and there is a dank, heavy atmosphere about the place. The Magi of Severn Temple seldom travel to the glade, for Morfan is hardly the most helpful of characters. Audacia slew Morfan many years ago, but he returned to the Glade as his body was left unmolested.

Other important information about Morfan's Glade: 1132 AD and 1142 AD.

The Great Lake

This large freshwater lake is home to Muirgen, an unseelie faerie of the weeds, and the Great Pike, an enormous and sharp-toothed fish. Muirgen lives in a cave at the bottom of the lake, and even she takes care to avoid the Great Pike when she swims to the surface. One of the covenant's castellans, Varein, was once imprisoned by Muirgen when he became lost in the faerie forest while he sought his lover, Ruth. He managed to escape her clutches, though he received a bite from the Great Pike as he scrambled up onto the shore.

Briarel's Dell

The current Magi of Severn Temple have never been to Briarel's Dell, though the journal tells that Idris once travelled there to seek the Amaranth, a rare and valuable flower, for Llyn-y-fan. It is said that Briarel is able to command the bushes, brambles and other plants to seize and hold intruders who might try to steal the flower.

Other important information about Briarel's Glade: 1089 AD and 1094 AD.

Stonevale

Stonevale is an imposing fortress and complex of mines set in a range of foothills. It is held by the faerie knight Sir Turold, who spends his time there when he is not at the court of Gofanon. The steward of Stonevale is Cyrgig, formerly one of Sir Turold's companions, who is an officious stickler for detail and procedure. Stonevale is also home to several faeries of the Court of Stone, who work in the mines and occasionally man the walls against attacks by the minions of the Erechwydd. Despite Sir Turold's decision to leave the covenant, old bargains endure, and Stonevale continues to be a source of Terram vis for the covenant.

Other important information about Stonevale: 1032 AD, 1042 AD and 1058 AD.

Higher levels of the Regio

It is questionable whether the sites in the higher levels are really part of the Dean at all; more likely, the Faerie Regio simply provides a gateway to these places, which are also accessible from other areas. All the sites in the higher levels seem very alien and far from the mortal world.

The Halls of Gofanon

Gofanon's court lies deep within the heart of an ancient mountain. It can be reached in several ways, but perhaps the best known is via a series of tunnels that be reached from Gofynwy's Cave. The journey to the court is long and arduous, particularly for those without a head for heights, as travellers have to cross a seemingly bottomless chasm at one point. Gofanon's servants, the Glewlwyd, guard the entrance to his court; they are able to travel the trough the very rock itself, which allows them to appear as if from nowhere to surround intruders. Gofanon's Hall is a cavern containing a lake of liquid metal. He sits on a great stone throne; his bride, Lly-y-Fan, sits on a smaller, more delicate throne at his side. There are numerous smaller caverns branching off from the main hall. Sir Turold, the Faerie Knight, can often be found in one of these antechambers.

Other important information about the Halls of Gofanon: 1160 AD.

The Ice Caverns of the Erechwydd

The Erechwydd lives in a series of icy caverns deep within the Regio. Few know of the precise route to her realm, as most of those who have travelled there have done so as her prisoners rather than voluntarily. Though there are clearly a great many caverns within the complex, the Magi have not explored them extensively, since they have usually been focussed on finding the quickest way out rather than mapping the place. The Erechwydd's former champion, the Tegid Foel, used to live close by in a stone tower.

Other important information about the Erechwydd's Caverns: 1106 AD and 1151 AD.

Other Faerie sites


The following sites lie outside the Regio in the Forest of Dean.

The Source of the Severn

The Source of the Severn is a lake high in the mountains of mid-Wales. It can be reached by travelling upriver along the Severn past Welshpool, Newtown and into the high mountains. The lake itself is surrounded by trees and it is home to a wide variety of unusual fish. After diving down into the depths of the lake, one surfaces in an entirely different place, for there is no sight of land in any direction. Diving down once more brings the traveller to an underwater hall where Llyr, Faerie King of the Sea, holds court.

Other important information about the Source of the Severn: 1155 AD.

Reed banks of the Severn


One of the Teg Fryn, unseelie water faeries of the reeds, lives in the reed banks by the edge of the Severn at Lydney. She usually lurks silently in the waters, though she has been known to sally forth to take her vengeance on anyone foolish enough to disturb her home. Tiarnan brokered a deal between the reed woman and the local boatmen: if the boatmen throw three fish into the water whenever they take clay from the banks and do not damage the reeds, they will not incur the her wrath.

Other important information about the reed banks: 1158 AD.
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