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

• laws are clear on how to deal with mortals who stray Underhill and see more than they ought

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

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

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

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

Fae Glamour