On the Origin of Faeries
By Means of Unnatural Selection
Or The
Preservation of Elemental Spiritual Entities in the Struggle for Life
By Charles Griffyn, PhD, Fictitious Studies
Chapter 1 - Life and Spirit
In the Dresdenverse, there is Life, and there is Spirit. All life must contain at least the smallest quantitative measurement of Spirit, for the two are entwined across Reality.
Spirit is eternal, even though Life is not. Upon Death, Life is extinguished, but Spirit returns to Nature, retaining a semblance of its previous state.
Chapter 2 - A Change of Nature
In time, some fractions of Spirit took on an Essence of its own, based on the memories and experiences it shared with Life. Some resembled the Air that swirled; others resembled the Water that flowed, or the Fire that burned, or the Earth that crumbled.
These Essences of Spirit grew, as their existence flowed from one age to age. Each took on the traits of that which it spawned from, be it chilled air or warm breeze. These Essences became that which they knew, inseparable from the very thing which they resembled.
Other Essences resembled the moss or the tree or the flower, as the Spirit drifted across Reality, joining one Life after another. In time, they too became inseperable from that which they knew.
Chapter 3 - Evolution Paired
As Life evolved, so did Spirit. Awareness spawned in Life, as fauna evolved from flora. And as it did, so did Spirit, taking on the nature of the Life it joined with.
Over the ages, Sentience emerged. Life reached new levels of awareness, as mankind's predecessors gained Knowledge of themselves and of nature. When Life ended, the Spirit remained, retaining the Essence of that which was lost.
Chapter 4 - A Separation of State
Eons ago, a change occurred. An Essence of Spirit, passed from Life to Life across the ages, suddenly became Aware of itself. No Life was needed for the Essence to exist, for it had gained the experience of many Lives.
This Essence found that it could move through Reality on its own, independent of Life. It could interact with Life, but remain separate from its Will, and its Fate.
Thus were Spirits born to Nature, not from Life, but from themselves. The Spirit of the arctic wind became a Force Itself, bonded with Reality, but apart. These simple Spirits were not Great and Powerful Things. They were Simple and Innocent, the Spirits' next evolution.
They were Faerie.
Chapter 5 - Spirit Everlasting
More time passed, and the Faerie grew individually. They were shapeless, without form or substance. They resembled that which they knew, that which they had been.
But Life continued evolving as well. Mankind evolved, and changed the Nature of the world around them. It began to interact with Life in a way not seen before, and in doing, interacted with the Faerie and Spirit of the world.
The Spirit learned from Mankind, for they were Life, and their existence irresistible to that which yearned to mimic Life. Faerie joined with Man, Possessing them, seeing the world through their eyes. And when they left, they took an Essence of Mankind upon themselves, leaving an Essence of themselves behind.
Chapter 6 - A Sense of Self
Faerie thus took on aspects of Life - of Flora, Fauna, and Mankind. Their bonding gave them a new sense of Self, and gave them Form. As Spirit and Life was ever entwined, Faerie grew individually over the ages. The earliest Faerie grew larger, more Aware, finding a Purpose in their existence. They mimicked Mankind, forming a society like that which the fledgling race themselves was creating.
As the elder Faerie grew, new Faerie spawned from Nature. New plants, new animals, new environments all contributed to new personalities and new beings. The Spirits, the Essences that grew from Life, continued to mimic that which they spawned from.
Chapter 7 - A Growth of Castes
The elder Faerie resented the younger, for they embodied an innocence and vigor long lost to them with their evolution. They sought a separation, and found it with Names.
Names were used by Mankind, by Mortals, to impart individuality. The elder Faerie sought that as well, and took on Names, such as Spirit of the Wind, or Essence of the Spring. But as a group, they became the Fae. Those of lesser distinction, of lesser knowledge and power, were considered inferior, until they too proved their worth by evolving.
Thus were the first crude Fae Courts formed.
Chapter 8 - A House Divided
As individualism grew, both in Mankind and Faekind, so did pride and honor. Gone were the innocent days of equality and civility. Individuals sought recognition of their place, their knowledge, and their power.
In time, a structure formed, where the most powerful commanded the respect and attention of those beneath them. It was a constant struggle, a survival of the fittest, to prove their superiority.
But as Nature is divided, so were the Fae. A Fae from the barren frozen tundra could not comprehend a Fae from the flourishing forests. A Fae of abundance could no more understand a Fae of scarcity than it could the deepest secrets of the universe. Their very Natures, true to their origins, were in constant strife.
The Eldest of the Essences, however, did not embody the Form of Mankind, like the other Fae. The Eldest were raw and pure, formed from the Chill Wind and the Warm Breeze. They sought not recognition or individualism; they sought Order. To bring Order to the Spirits, they drove the Fae into two houses; one of Warmth and Passion, and another of Cold and Reason.
Thus were Summer and Winter born.
Chapter 9 - Vessels of Power
But the Eldest Fae, the Greatest of the Ancient Spirits, did not have Forms of their own; they were Forces of Nature. They had not sought the Form of Man to define them. They were what they were, what they had always been.
Despite their Power, the Eldest needed a way to Rule over those Fae that had taken on Forms. A Form was needed, so that the Fae might recognize them and their authority. The answer lay in Mankind.
For all of its history, Mankind and Faerie had coexisted, the Spirit and Life blending. But as Faerie bonded with Mankind, taking a piece of their nature, so did they leave an Essence of themselves. Mankind grew in Spirit, gaining a Power for themselves from the shared Essence.
It was through that Essence within some of Mankind that the Eldest took Vessels from among Mankind. Beings of Infinite Power could bond with mortals, joining their fiery Essence of Faekind to the spark within Mankind.
That spark, and the individualism of the vessel, could not stand against the infinite power and sense of self which the Eldest had obtained. The vessel was lost, leaving a husk for the Eldest to possess.
Thus were the Queens born.
Chapter 10 - The Essence of Three
In truth, the Power of the Eldest was too much for any mortal host. The Eldest bonded with a mortal, only to find it incapable of containing its vast Essence. No matter how bright the mortal's spark, no matter how great its simple Essence, Mankind could not sustain the Will of the Eldest.
The Eldest could not afford to relinquish their authority to others; none but themselves could hold the Fae to their Will, to bring Order to the Chaos. So the Eldest set out to prepare a vessel for themselves. They took up the burden of shaping a lineage that would aide them through the ages.
Mortal families with the greatest power were chosen, and infused with even more Essence. They were prepared for the burden which would be theirs to bear. Spirits joined with Mankind, Possessing them, sharing Essence, all in the name of the Eldest.
In time, the greatest of Mankind were taken, their own Spirit prepared for the Eldest. But even then the Power of the Eldest was too much. A sacrifice had to be made, to ensure their Rule.
Chapter 11 - The Essence of Life
The Eldest looked to Humanity, and found the Essence of Life. Where the Fae, the Spirit, was Immortal and Eternal, Life was brief and finite. It was lived in short stages, defined by the innocence of youth, the responsibility of maturity, and wisdom of age.
Thus did they realize that it took three mortals to encompass the Eternal Power of the Eldest. The Eldest then chose to divide themselves, parting their Essence into three Selves, three Aspects of Life, to be hosted by Mortal Vessels.
The girl; the woman; and the crone.
Chapter 12 - Birth of a Race
Thus were the Queens born, not one but three, for each Aspect of Life. In this way, the Eldest could embody both Spirit and Life, without Compromise. They need not Choose between one existence or the other. They were whole, though divided.
But as the Eldest were Eternal, so would their hosts needs to be. A single Vessel could not hope to survive millenia bearing the Power of an Aspect. So the Queens tasked the Fae with purifying the bond between Fae and Mankind.
Those Fae who held the most power were Chosen, and sent to bond with Mankind. And they did so, Possessing them in their throws of passion, bonding their Essence to levels previously unseen.
The children of Mankind born from those unions possessed a Power unlike others. They were rich in the Essence of Spirit, communing with the world in a way others could never understand.
Some retained their humanity, bearing the Essence throughout their lives. But others were too rich in Power, two immersed in Essence, to remain mortal. Thus were they forced to Choose, between Mortality and Immortality; between Mankind and Fae.
These children, who Ascended to a higher state of Fae, were unlike any before them. Their origin was both mortal and immortal. Their Form was True, tempered by both Life and Spirit. Faeborn would in turn lay with Mankind, not as Spirits, but as True Fae, thus spawning new generations of Faeborn.
And the Queens were pleased. No longer would they need mortal Vessels to bear them; they could choose a Faeborn Vessel to fulfill their Will.
Chapter 13 - True Fae
Just like their forebearers, Faeborn sought recognition of their power and uniqueness. They saw themselves as Superior to those Fae without True Forms. Their predecessors had taken the Forms of Mankind, but had not possessed Forms of their own.
Thus was a divide formed among the Fae, between Spiritborn and Faeborn. Faeborn seized the Name of Fae, placing themselves above those born of Nature. Those spirits were Named Faeries, sprites and pixes that grew from Essence of Life and Spirit; un-evolved and inferior.
Royal bloodlines were established among the Faeborn, while the Spiritborn strove to gain Power and Self as the ancient Faerie had.
The Queens, the Eldest of Spiritborn, ruled over the Faeborn, possessing them when desired, or using mortal Vessels when needed. The elder Spiritborn did likewise, possessing mortal or Faeborn Vessels, gaining Power and Form in the process.
The Courts grew refined, as roles and duties were given to those worthy. The Queens solidified their power, and a balance was reached. A balance long sought, between light and dark, warmth and chill, life and death. Order was achieved.
But Chaos is a patient foe, and has Eternity to reclaim its place. It is the Nature of Life and Spirit to evolve; and in evolution, in the upheaval between what Was, Is, and what Shall Be, Chaos can Return.
