13 Rules of Fey Etiquette

“To those who traverse the planes: if you ever find yourself in the Otherworld or in the presence of one of its many denizens, there are certain guidelines you must follow if you wish to walk away from the encounter unscathed.

1. Never reveal your name to them. To Fey, names are closer in nature to trammels than mere labels, granting the invoker a significant measure of control over the one they choose to name, but only if that name was given freely and without coercion.
2. Never apologize to them. To ask forgiveness is to acknowledge a debt owed.
3. Never accept any of their gifts. Even when dealing with the most magnanimous of Fey, everything has a price. If you choose to accept their gift for any reason, express your deepest gratitude, but do not thank them. Oftentimes, a verbal expression of thankfulness implies future repayment.
4. Never act rudely or show them disrespect. Be courteous, even to the lowliest of Fey, for the most powerful of their kind are usually clever enough not to reveal themselves as such until after it is too late to make amends.
5. Avoid asking a Fey for their help. If you must, do not phrase your request like a wish or a demand, as this will only draw negative attention to yourself.
6. Never accept food from them. If offered, politely yet firmly decline. And do not eat anything you find within their realm, for eating a Fey’s food creates an involuntary and indefinite promise of fidelity to them.
7. If you choose to carry cold iron of any kind, keep it hidden at all times, especially if it is in the form of a weapon. Most Fey will interpret this as a threat, or at least as an insult, and you will likely never earn their trust again. A simple yet effective method of concealment against a Fey is to keep what you wish to hide within a bundle of red cloth, or within a bag held shut with a red ribbon.
8. When interacting with a courted Fey, meaning any Fey that aligns him or herself with one of the Sylvan Courts, treat them with the same respect you would their lord or lady, lest you earn that ruler’s enmity.
9. Never tell them a direct lie. If you must be dishonest, only lie by omission or use clever wordplay to dance around the truth, for those are the very subtleties that underlie the words of all courted Fey.
10. Avoid making any verbal agreements with them, whether it be a bargain or a full-fledged pact. If you do, know this: their very nature as Fey will compel them to sniff out loopholes in your agreement, and they will stop at nothing before they do so. In these circumstances, be extremely clear about what you seek to gain from the arrangement, and avoid using phrases that have double meanings.
11. Never let them play a musical instrument or sing in your presence. If a Fey that you do not trust (which should be all Fey, if you haven’t been paying attention) attempts to do so, cover your ears or deafen yourself in some way and leave immediately. Their kind are notorious for using sweet-sounding melodies to lull the weak-willed to sleep, or lure unsuspecting travelers into danger.
12. If you desire to befriend a Fey or are in the process of fostering a positive relationship with one, try offering them a gift. Though different Fey prefer different types of supplication, some common examples include baked goods (such as bread or cupcakes), saucers of milk, empty bottles, gemstones, seashells, shiny objects (such as coins, keys, or thimbles), and above all, raw honeycomb.
13. Lastly, if you or someone you know recently had a child, never under any circumstances tell a Fey about it. Solitary and courted Fey alike often cannot help themselves around a newborn baby and will attempt to take it for themselves. Fortunately, the child is usually returned to its parents by the Fey once they grow bored of it, typically after a few days, but this is not always the case.

As with any set of rules, one must be cautious of their exceptions. If you find yourself in the company of a Fey who chooses not to follow these rules, I have only one more piece of advice: run away, and run quickly.”