Table of Contents
Oaths fairy gifts: you mean no harm to me and mine, you will swear it 89
The Ancient Bargain & Lies
Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed
- most fae cannot tell a lie
- they are very, very good at making you think they are saying one thing, when they mean another, but they cannot lie
- they can do the damnedest thing with the truth, but they cannot lie
- a conversation with someone who can't lie is the questions they don't answer
Mercy Thompson Series #11: Storm Cursed
- goblins are a part of that ancient bargain18
- if the powers that be hear us lie, a terrible and mortal fate comes to us, as to all fae18
- those greater in power may fight off their fate for a time, but for the lesser fae, like goblins, we die the moment a lie, knowingly spoken, leaves our lips18
Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten
- fae are creatures whose lives are bound by rules282
- that they cannot lie being the core rule all of them must follow282
- important thing to remember about the rules is that they constrain all of the fae; but only the fae282
- the fae can lie—they just suffer a horrible fate if they do282
- that may be the rule; if a fae lies they will suffer a horrible fate282
Fae Laws
- laws are clear on how to deal with mortals who stray Underhill and see more than they ought
Bargains
Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne
Traditional Structure of a Fae Bargain
Bargain is Requested
Bargain is Struck
Bargain is Accepted
Bargain is Done
- it is humans who betray their bargains
- accepted and sealed the bargain in blood
- can be a contest; usually musical; a true bargain
- different bargains; stories of footraces, swimming contests, eating contests
- fairy bargains that left you ruing the day you made them
- cannot break the heart of the bargain; it must be something that is possible, however unlikely—for the challenger to accomplish
- can be struck with other supernatural creatures; River Devil
Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken
- have to bargain hard and fast—and be diplomatic
Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched
- fae are very particular about their bargains67
- grandstanding is a very bad way to make bargains149
- few fae who can bargain for the fae as a whole166
- even if you bargain, you might not be safe171
- bargaining room; you won't know what you have until you talk to them173
- there is magic in bargaining with the fae that has nothing to do with what they had the power to do or not do218
- that's why so many of the fae are willing to strike odd bargains—they can gain power from it218
- a bargain can be sealed in blood220
- receiving an item in fulfillment of our bargain324
- ways to void a bargain325
Mercy Thompson Series #10: Silence Fallen
- wolves are not fae to hold to bargains they view as forced24
Mercy Thompson Series #11: Storm Cursed
- a fae had betrayed a bargain she had made with Bran; she lied to him; paid for those lies21
Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten
Examples
Thomas Hao Father bargained with Master Vampire Butte
Ariana Brewster bargained with Daphne Rondo
River Devil bargained to exchange Mercy for a child
Zee Adelbertsmiter bargained his safety for his son
Alistair Beauclaire bargained for the Walking Stick
Gray Lords bargained with Adam and Mercy to maintain neutrality in the Tri-Cities
Fae Guesting Laws
Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound
- if claimed as a guest, the fae couldn't do anything bad to you without challenging the host
Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed
- anyone who is offended by a guest must go through the host first
Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne
- half-blood is not human enough to be saved by the guesting laws of the Elphame
Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched
- guesting laws; a person who asks for shelter will get twenty-four hours if he makes no move to harm76
- he will get food, drink, and a bed76
- protection from his enemies; safety76
Fae Policing
Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed
- fae do their own internal policing
- Gray Lords own several law firms on the East Coast
- fae who are suspected of crimes tend not to survive to need lawyers
- imprisoning a fae is…impractical
- it's damned difficult; holding a person is hard enough; holding a fae for any time at all, if he doesn't want to be held, is near impossible
- a life sentence is highly impractical when fae can live for hundreds of years
- if you imprison fae, for whatever reason, you'd better be dead when he gets out or you'll wish you were
- human justice just isn't equipped to deal with the fae, so they take care of it
- a fae who commits a serious crime—like murder—is simply executed on the spot
Fae Magic
Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound
- sharp astringent scent
Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed
- if you use a fairy gift more than you have permission for, there are consequences
- elf-salve