RPing faeries

[ChewyGranola]

So they can't tell an actual lie, manipulate words, twist meanings, use riddles, and generally sound far more clever than the average person. So, GMs, when your group runs into one of these things, how the heck do you RP them? How is it possible to sound inhumanly clever?

[Taran]

Social combat.

Also, the stunt 'honest lies' is a good one for that.

I think it's not so much that they don't lie, it's that they don't always tell the whole truth.

Player:  "Do you really mean that?"
Fairy:  "Don't you know that fairies can't lie?

Notice that the fairy didn't actually admit to being (dis)honest.  (S)he just stated a fact and let the players connect the dots.

A player might say.  "You didn't answer the question.  I want a yes or no answer!"

I think it's best to do it as straight deception rolls or social combat if you, yourself, are not naturally adept at manipulating the truth.  And if the character failed to catch the deception, then it should probably be RP'd as such.  Deception is a tricky beast in this game, I find.  The mechanics are designed to be played out on the table, so the players usually know when they're being lied to.  As long as they don't play their characters that way.

[Haru]

I sometimes feel like being a GM is pretty similar to being a faerie, actually. You really have to be careful with what you say, or the players might twist your words against you.

When I play a faerie, I usually try to channel scenes from the novels, and it works rather well. Speak vague, imply everything, without committing to anything at the same time. It's easier in pbp than tabletop, I have to admit. To get a feel for them, you could write out some scenes, and prepare some phrases that you can use to get you in the right mindset at the table.

[Mr. Death]

I sometimes feel like being a GM is pretty similar to being a faerie, actually. You really have to be careful with what you say, or the players might twist your words against you.

Dear gods I cannot agree enough.

Mostly when I have Faerie NPCs, it involves a lot of careful wording on my part, which in turn includes thinking ahead on what I might have to say. So think about the topics that might come up in conversation, and think of clever ways to tell the truth, but mislead.

[umdshaman]

Keep in mind, as well, that as GM you are the god of your own little petty world. Realize your faerie told an outright lie? ("No, there isn't a faerie waiting to kill you at the end of that Way.") Tweak the world a tiny a bit and now they haven't. (The faerie directed them to a completely different path while they were still concerning themselves with all the dangers on their intended route.) It can be... problematic. And you want to be careful how often or how badly you do this, but if you avoid making simple declarative statements you can generally avoid lying outright.

[g33k]

Social combat.

Also, the stunt 'honest lies' is a good one for that.

I think it's not so much that they don't lie, it's that they don't always tell the whole truth.

Player:  "Do you really mean that?"
Fairy:  "Don't you know that fairies can't lie?

Notice that the fairy didn't actually admit to being (dis)honest.  (S)he just stated a fact and let the players connect the dots.

A player might say.  "You didn't answer the question.  I want a yes or no answer!"

Faerie reply: "You want a yes or no answer?  But what if the true answer is more complex than that?  La, but who am I to judge such things:  YES.  There's your answer, and done."