Bog Court

When people speak of the glamorous courts of the Fae, they often talk about their beauty and grandeur. They dwell on the dazzling splendor of the High Court, the dark allure of the Night Court, or the primal power of the Wood Court.

The Bog Court is none of these things. This is the court of the Púca, the Dwarf, and the Goblin. They are the small Fae, although their stature does not mean they lack power. The Fae of the Bog Court delight in deals and bargains, and will offer aid to those in need for a price. Many tales cling to the denizens of the Bog Court. They may offer to spin your straw into gold but demand your firstborn as payment. They might save a beloved daughter from a dire fate but only if she agrees to marry them afterward. The Fae of the Bog Court love treasures and trades, and they consider clever words and puzzles the highest form of art.

The Goblin Market

The Bog Court claims the lowland regions of Eilean Skìth as its territory rather than try to compete with the more powerful Fae on the island of Oileán Fiáin. They dwell in the island's wild peat bogs, where every path can end in a sudden plunge and Will o the Wisps lure the unwary to their doom. But the Bog Court does not wish to drown every traveler who crosses their land; it would be bad for business. When the moon is full, those who know the way can find the court's Goblin Market and see what bargains they might strike. Almost anything can be sold on market nights, and the Fae of the court provide goods and services found nowhere else. They might trade the death of an enemy for a year of the buyer's life or perform a miraculous healing in exchange for a stolen kiss. Wise shoppers never accept the first price offered, usually a ridiculous and uncomfortable one, because they know it is never meant in earnest but is only the starting point for the haggle. There is no quicker way to lose the respect of the Bog Court, and much more besides, than to pay the opening offer without haggling.

Goblins, Dwarfs, and Púca

The Fae of the Bog Court usually appear as small humanoids, but this is the only feature they share. They have come to the Bog Court from every land where the Fae dwell, and they represent many kinds and names. Many people expect them to be uniformly ugly, but this is not always the case. Although the Bog Fae are always striking in some way, they count both monsters and beauties among their number. Most wear red clothing in honor of their queen, Mag the Red, though some adopt a color of their own if they have the status to carry it off. It is a mark of distinction to be known as the Blue Goblin or the Yellow Dwarf, and those who follow such figures adorn themselves in their leader's chosen hue. Many of the Bog Fae are shapeshifters, and on Eilean Skìth any animal with an unusual color is left alone, as it is likely to be one of the Fae in the form of a purple horse or a green dog.

The best known of the Bog Fae is their queen, Mag the Red, also called the Red Dwarf. She is considered a great beauty, with red hair and captivating eyes. She is famous for taking human lovers, both men and women, from among those who visit the Market, bargaining wealth and power to win those who catch her eye. She keeps her lovers on leashes, requiring them to crawl at her side, and she will sometimes ride one as a person might ride a horse. According to legend, the favorites she chooses may be transformed into goblin hounds so that they can remain with her forever. Those she grows tired of are released to wander the bogs in confusion, unsure of what has happened or how long they were enthralled. As for those who anger her, they are never seen again, but the hounds eat well on those days.