The Feywild Codex: Archfey, Demesnes, & Other Oddities
Well, my Toledo Campaign is moving on into the Paragon Tier, and so my overall campaign story arc is likely to take them to new and strange locales. It seems to me that in the Paragon Tier, the hreats have got to increase by a serious factor, the pace of the story has to go up in tempo, and the masks will come off revealing the evil string pullers that have manipulated plots during the Heroic Tier. In my canse, specifically, the evil cult that my heroes have been pursuing and opposing off and on during their Heroic Tier has designs on both the Feywild and Shadowfell – although for still unknown reasons as far as the characters are concerned.
Since it looks like the Feywild will be their first major planar stomping ground, I wanted to get a good handle on what resources are available for the fairy land, and try to organize it so I can use it in adventures and quests for the next several levels. And since I’ve recently been inundated with a considerable amount of pop culture references to fey creatures, I also wanted to think about filling in any gaps with interesting stuff that the players themselves might recognize. Recent shows like “Grim” and “Lost Girl” have shown quite a bit of sophistication for handling all sorts of content regarding fairy creatures and fey entities. And I’ve recently been reading the Dresden File Series over the past few months, which has the heroic Wizard/Private Investigator dealing with all sorts of troublesome beasties from the Nevernever (sort of the Feywild and Shadowfell sharing a single plane), as well as getting embroiled in the politics of the Fey Courts.
Essentially, I needed to find out all there is about the Feywild that WotC has put out there for the 4E Community, and then try to organize it into the sort of Fey Realm I want to use for my campaign. I started going through the material over the long holiday weekend, sorting through sourcebooks, modules, and magazines to create a Master List of Feywild Contents.
Needless to say, I had no idea what I was getting myself into!
But since I have gone to all the work of sorting, labeling, and referencing all content Feywild, I figured I might as well pass on my research project to the Community. Hopefully, other DMs will be saved a little time when preparing Feywild content, and not have to go through the crazy mess I found myself in this weekend… enjoy!
The Feywild Codex
References: MoP – Manual of the Planes; DR – Dragon Magazine; DN – Dungeon Magazine; HotF – Heroes of the Feywild
An * denotes the reference which seems to contain the most information about a topic, in the event there is more than one reference.
Important Archfey, Rulers, & Entities of Note
Baba Yaga (MoP p. 36, 45; DN 196*) – Greatest of witches; dwells in the Murkendraw
Cachlain (DN 161; DN 166*) – Formorian King (see Scales of War Campaign)
Cat Lord (MoP p. 36) – Archfey beastlord (possibly Rexfelis from earlier editions of D&D)
Elias Alastai (MoP p. 38*; HotF p. 12, 28) – The Sea Lord; brother of Siobhan Alastai
First Lord Thrumbolg (MoP p. 44*; HotF p. 156) – Formorian king; ruler of Mag Tureah
Great Gark, Lord of All the Goblins (MoP p. 46*; HotF p. 18, 19) – The king of the goblins; rules Nachtur
Green Lord Oran (MoP p. 36-7*, 46; DN 185; DN 198; HotF p. 12, 25, 28) – Leader of the Green Fay and consort of Tiandra
Kannoth, the Vampire Lord (MoP p. 42) – Eladrin Archfey who dwells beneath Cendriane
Karl Stoneshine (MoP p. 40) – Leader of the Gnome Council
King Bronnor (MoP p. 43*; HotF p. 156) – Formorian king; ruler of Harrowhame
Koliada, the Winter Witch (DN 161) – Archfey of the Winter Court (see Scales of War Campaign)
Lady of the White Well (HotF p. 154-5) – Archfey of divine heritage
Lady Shandria (MoP p. 41; HotF p. 10) – Eladrin warlord; Ruler of Astazalian
Liria Valthorin (DR 386) – Founder and teacher at the House of Flowers
Lord Calenon Thray (MoP p. 47) – Eladrin ranger; ruler of Shinaelestra
Maiden of the Moon (MoP p. 36, 38*, 42; HotF p. 12, 14, 25) – Leader of the Gloaming Fey
Monkey King (MoP p. 36) – Archfey beastlord (possibly Sun Wukong from Chinese mythology)
Morgan le Fey (DN 183) – Archfey witch
Mournwind (DR 374) – Archfey servant of the Prince of Frost
Mother Tree (MoP p. 45*; HotF p. 17) – First of the Green Fey; most sacred tree of the dryads
Musagzi (DN 157) – Formorian King; ruler of an unnamed city in the Feydark
Prince of Frost (MoP p. 36-7; DR 374*; HotF p. 7, 13-14, 28, 30, 108, 134, 155) – Leader of the Winter Fey
Prince of Hearts (MoP p. 38*; HotF p. 135) – Archfey of Love and Passion
Prince Hyrsam (MoP p. 36) – King of the Satyrs
Queen Connomae (MoP p. 48*; HotF p. 11, 157) – Formorian Queen; ruler of Vor Thomil
Queen Fathaghn (MoP p. 45*; HotF p. 17) – Queen of the Dryads
Razcoreth, the Whispering Wyrm (HotF p. 153) – Green Dragon (ancient?); guards the Lake of Dreams
Rheusendrous (DN 185) – Bramble Queen’s body guard
Sebakar, Lord of Crocodiles (DN 178) – Archfey beastlord; worshipped in FR Chessenta
Selephra, the Bramble Queen (DN 18*) – Archfey; daughter of Lord Oran
Siobhan Alastai (MoP p. 38*; HotF p. 12) – The Sea Lady; Sister of Elias
Sisters of Lament (DR 374) – Mournwind and Soulsorrow; servants of the Prince of Frost
Sky the Innkeeper (DN 198) – Archfey innkeeper of Jaggerbad Skyhouse
Sovereign Elk (DN 190) – Archfey beastlord; dwells in Elkweald
Soulsorrow (DR 374) – Archfey servant of the Prince of Frost
Tiandra, The Summer Queen (MoP p. 36-7*, 39, 41, 46; DR 374; DN 198; HotF p. 12, 25, 28, 30, 54, 94, 108, 121, 122, 134, 149) – Queen of the Summer Fey
Viktor Mazan, Lord of the Werewolves (MoP p. 42) – Lycanthrope; Chieftain of the Brokenstone Vale
Witch of Fates (MoP p. 39) – Archfey oracle and seer
Noted Demesnes, Cities, & Lands
Animus Spire & the Killing Grounds (DN 189) – Confluence of ley lines; home to a firbolg settlement beset by minotaurs
Astrazalian (MoP p. 39*, 41; HotF p. 10, 135, 137, 147-8, 149, 150) – Eladrin City of Stars; exists in Mortal World half a year; allied to Summer Queen and ruled by Lady Shandria
Baba Yaga’s Dancing Hut (DN 196) – Home of Baba Yaga
Brokenstone Vale (MoP p. 42; DR 410; DN 185*; HotF p. 14, 150) – Valley home to many lycanthropes
Callanar/White Spires (DR 403) – Magical academy studying the art of enchantments
Cendriane (MoP p. 39*, 42; HotF p. 14-15, 54, 151) – Eladrin realm of Nerath which faded back into the Feywild; comparable to Myth Drannor; Vampire Lord Kannoth rules the catacombs here
Citadel Arcanum (HotF p. 11, 148) – Tower guarding an entrance to the Feydark in Mithendrin
Elkweald (DN 190) – Home of the Sovereign Elk
Feydark (MoP p. 39-40*, 43; HotF p. 152, 155) – Underdark beneath the Feywild
Fortress of Frozen Tears (DR 374*; HotF p. 7, 13, 17, 134, 155) – Palace of the Prince of Frost
Grieving Palace (DN 185) – Home of the Bramble Queen
Hall of the Stone-Skinned King (DN 166) – Hall of formorian King Cachlain
Harrowhame (MoP p. 43*; HotF p. 16, 150, 155-6) – Formorian citadel; ruled by King Bronnor
House of Flowers (DR 386) – Descendants of the Rose King; training dojo of fighting techniques
Isle of Dread (MoP p. 43*; HotF p. 15-16, 153) – Mysterious island that shifts from Feywild to Mortal Realm at random
The Lake of Dreams (HotF p. 153) – Enchanted lake of slumber and dreams; realm of Razcoreth, the Whispering Wyrm
Jaggerbad Skyhouse (DN 198) – World traveling inn and tavern on an iron dragon’s back
Mag Tureah (MoP p. 44*; HotF p. 9, 16, 17, 156) – Iron fortress in the Feydark; ruled by Formorian king Thrumbolg
Maze of Fathaghn (MoP p. 45*; HotF p. 17, 134, 153) – Briar maze made by dryads to protect the Mother Tree
Mithrendain (MoP p. 45; DR 366*; DN 157; HotF p. 9, 11, 17, 54, 102, 148, 150, 159) – Fortress of Cendriane; the Autumn City; Ruled by Councilor Saffrenia, Councilor Dresyae Tlathlyn, and others.
Murkendraw (MoP p. 45*; HotF p. 9, 17, 153) – A massive sea-sized swamp; home to many evil fey
Nachtur, the Goblin Kingdom (MoP p. 46*; HotF p. 18-19, 156-7, 159) – Subterranean kingdom of the goblins; ruled by Great Gark, Lord of All the Goblins
Plains of Echoing Thunder (HotF p. 154) – Rolling plains where many centaur tribes dwell
Senaliesse (MoP p. 37, 39*, 46; HotF p. 9, 12-13, 121, 135, 148, 149, 150) – Palace of the Summer Queen
Shinaelestra, the Fading City (MoP p. 46-7*; HotF p. 11, 137, 148, 149, 150) – Eladrin city which worldfalls each night to the Howling Forest of Nerath; ruled by Eladrin Ranger Lord Calenon Thray
Vale of the Long Night (DR 367*; HotF p. 13-14, 108, 134) – Land of the Winter Fey
Vor Thomil (MoP p. 47*; HotF p. 16, 149, 157) – Formorian underground city near Shinaelestra; ruled by Queen Connomae
The White Well (HotF p. 154) – Residence of the Lady of the White Well
Winter’s Heart (DN 162) – Palace of the Winter Witch (see Scales of War Campaign)
Significant Factions, Dominions, & Other Abstract Things
Court of Coral (MoP p. 38*; HotF p. 12) – Court ruled by the Sea Lords
Court of Stars (MoP p. 36-7*, 42, 46; HotF p. 12, 28, 30, 31, 121, 122, 149) – Grand court hosted by Summer Queen; meets several times each year
Gloaming Fey (MoP p. 38*; HotF p. 12) – Fey of dreams, darkness, stars, twilight, dusk; Fey allied to the Maiden of the Moon
Gnome Council (MoP p. 40-1) – Council of famous gnomes lead by Karl Stoneshine
Green Court (DN 185) – Court ruled by Lord Oran
Green Fey (MoP p. 37*; HotF p. 12, 17) – Fey of the primal force of Nature; Fey allied with Lord Oran
Murkendraw Trade Moot (DR 393*; HotF p. 18, 153) – A goblin trade faire in the Murkedraw
The Sea Lords (MoP p. 38*; HotF p. 12) – Water fey; Fey allied to Elias and Siobhan Alastai (siblings)
Summer Court (MoP p. 37*; HotF p. 12, 18, 108, 121) – Court ruled by the Summer Queen
Summer Fey (MoP p. 37*; HotF p. 12) – Fey of the primal forces of weather and season; Fey allied with the Summer Queen
Unseelie Fey (MoP p. 38; HotF p. 12, 114, 123-4) – Evil fey; also fey tainted by the Shadowfell
The Wild Hunt (MoP p. 39, DR 405*; HotF 123) – Firbolg hunters and other fey beasts which hunt down oathbreakers
Winter Court (MoP p. 37) – Court ruled by the Prince of Frost
Winter Fey (MoP p. 37*, 46; HotF p. 12) – Fey of the primal elements of weather and season; Fey allied with the Prince of Frost
Other References to the Feywild
Character Building References
Gloaming Court is briefly described in Dragon 382’s Power Play article.
There are a number of Bardic Fellowships in the Feywild mentioned in Dragon 387.
Two Feywild familiars are mentioned in Winning Races: Eladrin in Dragon 390.
Class Act: Wardens in Dragon 392 discusses powers for the class using the Feywild and fairies as a power source.
Class Acts: Knight discusses the Sword Guards of Astrazalian in Dragon 395.
Feywild Character Themes and Eladrin Utility Powers can be found in Dragon 405.
Three Feywild Paragon Paths and an index of other Feywild Paths can be found in Dragon 406.
A Fey Pact for the Binder Warlock is available in Dragon 406.
Fey Crossings
A portal to the Feywild exists in Tanathriel, the Castle of Dreams, according to Winning Races: Elves in Dragon 392.
Nerathi Legends in Dragon 401 discusses the Faldrin Vale and its portal to the Feywild.
Dungeoncraft in Dungeon 156 notes that the Greenbriar Chasm used to be part of Cendriane, with a portal to the Feywild nearby.
There is a fey crossing at the Oasis of the Golden Peacock in the in the Dungeon 169 adventure of the same name.
Portal to the Feywild exists in the Elsir Vale in the D&D Core Setting according to Dungeon 161.
The short story, Watchers at the Living Gate, in Dragon 391 occurs in the Feywild.
Archfey Candidates
Reference to major Forgotten Realms Moonshae entities Relkath of the Infinite Branches, Lurue the Unicorn Queen, Verenestra the Oak Princess, Sarula Iliene the Nixie Queen, and Aurilandür the Frost Sprite Queen as Archfey in Dragon 376.
Heroes of the Feywild mentions that the first immortal Nymphs were Summer Ash, Autumn Oak, Winter Fir, and Summer Flower – these could be used as queens or princesses of the Nymphs.
Heroes of the Feywild refers to a “queen of the nightmare fairies” in one of the Bard’s Tale sidebars.
Deities of the Feywild
Reference to Forgotten Realms Goddess Auril as the Queen of Air and Darkness banished from the Feywild in Dragon 367.
Information regarding the history of Corellon, Sehanine, and Lolth in the Feywild can be found in Dragon 394.
History Check in Dragon 408 deals with Corellon and Gruumsh.
Feywild Beasts & Monsters
A Spirit of Winter from the Feywild is encountered in Menace of the Icy Spire in Dungeon 159.
The Paragon Artifact, the Seed of Winter, has its origins in the Feywild according to Dungeon 165.
Corallaxes are Feywild parrot which can be a hazard according to Dungeon 169.
Creature Incarnations: Formorians discusses variants of this Feywild monster in Dungeon 176.
The origins of Scarecrows from the Feywild can be found in Dungeon 183.
Ecology: Satyrs of the Night discusses an Unseelie variant of the classic fey creature in Dungeon 197.
Adventures & Locales Related to the Feywild
Dark Heart of Mithrendain is an adventure in Dungeon 157 which takes place in the Feywild.
Beyond the Trollhaunt in Dungeon 160 offers sidetreks in the Feywild relating to the King of Trollhaunt Warrens adventure.
Part of the King of Trollhaunt Warrens takes place in the abandoned formorian fortress of Mross-Kagg in the Feywild.
The githyanki shipyard in Dungeon 167, part of the Scales of War Campaign, lies partially in the Feywild, as well as the Astral Sea and Shadowfell.
Explore Taer Lian Doresh in Dungeon 178 discusses one of the lost feyspires in Eberron, and Dungeon 184 discusses villain NPCs there.
Backdrop: Moonshaes discusses the relationship of these isles to the Feywild in Dungeon 196.
From here, I’ll probably be posting a follow-up blog of suggested changes to the Feywild to fill in content and correct some inconsistencies. For instance, the various “courts” of the Feywild seem wildly out of balance with each other, and frankly it looks like Tiandra and the Summer Court could stomp the other factions flat anytime she wanted. I think there needs to be strong Archfey in the other courts to make them a match or at least a near match for Tiandra’s power. Also, Mag Tureah seems very out of character for a Feywild demesne – it’s called the Iron Fortress, and from legend we know that iron burns all fairy folk and Feywild entities like grabbing a torch at the wrong end! So I have my work cut out for me to make the Feywild a kind of place I want to use in my continuing campaign.
But at least I like to think that the really tedious part of this project is now behind me!
So until next blog… I wish you Happy Gaming!
Art from Heroes of the Feywild by WotC
This is a pretty nice list. I have always loved the Feywild for the most part (I dislike the actual term “Feywild,” preferring the more traditional “Faerie,” but that’s about it for the hate), and collating the various official sources is very useful. I suppose it has something to do with living in a culture that pretty much still has very fey superstitions in this day and age. Consider this page bookmarked.
I do want to suggest that, in addition to the official sources, you consider looking into the various Fey-centric 3PP stuff that you’ve reviewed over the course of 4E. Perhaps you can even include a certain equine creature that I love… (end shameless plug) >.>
Terrific work. I look forward to your further ideas on this.