Origins of the Sidhe (High Fae) [CD spoilers]

[Serack]

I did a minor update to the 1st reply in this post adding some more backing for Orbweaver's points that the fae might have been a separate race from the Humans all along.  I also added a link (in green) to my newer Grand Unified Mantle Theory topic which has some heavy ties to this one.

[Sydna]

Serack, on a slightly different tack. I have this inchoate idea. After Hades got married to Persephone, there was a deal that she should spend 6 months with him and 6 months with her mother. I thought maybe it really refers to the splitting of the fae (or nature) into Summer and Winter Courts.

[Sully]

I like that idea.

[vultur]

My general take on DV origins...


Before humans: Magic and the Nevernever probably originated at the same time as mortal life, billions of years ago, or possibly when animals developed brains or became complex enough to have emotions (we know animals have a 'metaphysical footprint', though a lesser one than humans, from DB - so presumably they influence the Nevernever as well, though less so than humans. No data on whether plants or microbes do. But given that T-rexes have a metaphysical footprint, the NN would have existed at least by dinosaur times.)

Simple animalistic fae might have existed. There was a lot of power around (the power of the Winter and Summer Queens is said to be "older than time" when Harry uses his Sight on them in SK, so presumably existed before humans) but it was undirected by consciousness - kind of a primeval chaos situation.

Human prehistory: With humans around, human emotions and thoughts shaped the Nevernever into more defined and complex forms. Minor fae started to manifest in human forms, like pixies. For some reason (bargains with humans like Lea does maybe?) some fae gained greater significance and power, and took on human-scale humanlike forms. These reproduced with humans and created changelings, some of whom then Chose Fae and became the parent-form of Fae directly rather than having to develop upwards from Little Folk (Meryl in SK became a troll). Either one or three powerful  wizards performed a big sacrificial ascension ritual/spell with the stone table and became the first Faerie Queen(s). Other wizards performed similar rituals and became powerful Wyld Fae, the Erlking was one of these.

Unknown time: The Faerie Queens split between Summer and Winter.

About a thousand years ago: A major crisis in the supernatural power structure occurred. The Winter Queens took up the job of guarding the Outer Gates, and the Summer Queens became the guardians against Winter. This added purpose gave them greater power, but likely also even more constraints in how they could act in the mortal world. (This is possibly why the Winter and Summer Queens can't kill mortals, but Gwyn ap Nudd - a Wyld Fae lord - can.)

[Electric MacButters]

With respect to Sidhe vs Fey, it could also be a matter of feudal courtesy. Since the fey were driven underground into the Sidhe barrows, it is possible that the Sidhe are/were the original lords of their respective barrows. In midevil Europe it was common for the land to be named after the local lord and vice versa. This could mean that Lieanshide would translate into modern English as "Liean, lord of the barrow". This would also help to explain why the Sidhe hate to be called Fey; it would be like walking up to the duke of York and saying, "hey mister! You got the time?" 

Insofar as the Sidhe once being mortal, we know the Fey are incapable of changing their natures (at least very quickly), so what if a number of human wizards agreed to lead the Fey into the barrows and keep them there? They may have started as their jailers but were slowly changed by their exposure to the nevernever into fey themselves. This would explain why the Sidhe are known for always followings rules and obeying agreements while the rest of the Fey only do so out of fear of the courts. The Redcap would happily have gutted every mortal he came across were it not for the threat of Mab, and I seem to remember Harry being warned that the queen is the only one who cannot harm a mortal who doesn't associate with the Fey, but the members of the courts choose not to harm mortals out of respect/fear for the queens.

My apologies if this has already been discussed, I haven't worked my way through all seven pages yet.

[frankcesca]

Serack, on a slightly different tack. I have this inchoate idea. After Hades got married to Persephone, there was a deal that she should spend 6 months with him and 6 months with her mother. I thought maybe it really refers to the splitting of the fae (or nature) into Summer and Winter Courts.

I like it, too. I think Hastings wasn't the time when Summer and Winter split, rather just a big argument between Titania and Mab (perhaps over the Blackstaff).

My idea is that they split at the time of TWC's crucifixion, because Serack has posited there was a lot of power changing hands at that time. But your theory works well, too.