Fairykind

Types of Fairy

All fairies are the same race, and can all inter-reproduce with one another. The difference between one type and another is as small as the difference between a tabby cat and a calico. Nevertheless, there are very small biological differences between some types of fairy which are universally acknowledged. Most people believe these differences are largely insignificant, and there is a general understanding that, underneath, fairies are all the same.

Ordinary Fairies

Ordinary fairies are occasionally called 'second generation' or 'compound' fairies. They are descended from the fairies who came after the originals, at the time when stardust (pure magic) was contaminated by other elements. They are still inherently magical, but cannot control magic in its purest form: divinity. Some ordinary fairies can accumulate and master a variety of incredible powers, enabling them to almost rival divine beings.

Because the ordinary fairies are a race who have evolved, there is one school of thought which believes they are superior to all other types of fairy, 'perfected' over time.

The small biological elements which characterise ordinary fairies are:

• Split souls. All ordinary fairies have naturally split souls, which enables them to attain a familiar.
• Wings. All ordinary fairies develop wings from level two onwards. This is a trait which they evolved over the years. Ordinary fairies' wings can take on any form.
• Inherent, 'impure' magic. All ordinary fairies are inherently magical, but none can control divinity.

Original Fairies

The original fairies are the first twenty or so fairies who came into existence millions of years ago, back when stardust was pure and uncontaminated. They are formed from pure stardust rather than compounds and thus all wield and can control divinity. All of the original fairies have been deified and the term 'original' now is often equated to 'god'. The originals have not evolved over time.

There are some who believe that the originals are the 'pure race' and are thus superior to all other fairies.

The small biological elements which characterise the original fairies are:

• Whole souls. It is extremely difficult and can be very damaging for an original to attain a familiar.
• No wings. The ordinary fairies evolved these over time, but the originals haven't evolved.
• Inherent, 'pure' magic. All original fairies can control divinity.
• Altered perception and time passage. It is now widely believed that the original fairies do not pass through time or age in the same way that humans and ordinary fairies do. They seem to pass through time more slowly, retaining a lack of maturity or wisdom, and are regularly viewed as old-fashioned or unable to keep up with the times. Perhaps because of their extreme old age, they also do not perceive the world in the same way that ordinary fairies do.

The Immortal Ones

The Immortal Ones are a group of ordinary fairies who came into existence shortly after the originals. They are first generation ordinary fairies and thus, like the originals, never had any parents. They came into life with immortality, which has allowed them to remain alive today. Some of them have been deified and many of them have accumulated enormous magical power over the years, making them almost equal to the originals.

The Immortal Ones are jealous of the originals, consider themselves superior to ordinary fairies and regularly demand to be allowed to join the Council of Originals. They want to become the originals' equals.

The small biological elements which characterise the Immortal Ones are:

• Split souls, the same as ordinary fairies.
• No wings, the same as original fairies. They never evolved these either.
• Inherent, 'impure' magic, just like the ordinary fairies. Their inability to control divinity is one of the reasons their proposal to join the Council of Originals has been repeatedly rejected.

demigods

Demigods, also called 'half-bloods' or 'half-and-halfs' are the rare offspring of an ordinary and an original fairy. They share the biology of an ordinary fairy, but their magical senses seem to have been heightened. Most demigods have stronger magical powers than ordinary fairies and are often marked for greater things.

Demigods are generally considered the equal of ordinary fairies, but some have been deified.

Second Generation Gods

This is a very new type of fairy and exceptionally rare: there is currently only one in existence. "Second Generation God" is the term which has been given to Solnyshka, the only child to have two original fairies for parents (Mallos and Lorraine). Since Solnyshka is currently a one-off, information about Second Gen is very limited. It is believed, however, that Second Gen follow the same biological rules as original fairies (no wings, whole souls, ability to control divinity).

Fairy/Human Hybrids

It is exceptionally rare for fairies and humans to have relationships with one another, and rarer still for them to reproduce. Of fairy/human couples who try to conceive, less than 1% succeed and most conceptions result in miscarriage. On the rare occasion when a hybrid child is born, it is generally sickly and does not often live beyond its first five years. There are no records of any hybrid living to be older than ten.

Because they are so rare and because they're often shunned both in human and fairy societies, there is very little available information about hybrids. Some have been reputed to possess magic, but that magic often seems to be weak or uncontrollable.