kossai: masculine form of kossai (Default)
crosspost from tumblr .

just think about ... how to even say ? suppose , how kossai experience and observe faerie existence in contrast to folklore and expectations - would be curious to hear thoughts from other faerie folk here too .

people tell stories about faeries and other mythfolk , and that is part of what make up folklore . even still , for various reasons faerie was not necessarily word of choice , even in english . these stories might come from particular regions , but also share aspects with neighbours , and sometimes even strangers farther away - to point that faerie can be unclear designation for those who study folklore .

as well , not all faerie kith have folkloric counterparts - whether because these folk stay hidden from humans through history , particular stories end up lost to time , humans observe but never find any way to categorise more specifically , only seem to emerge long after storytellers die down , or otherwise . 

sometimes , someone is mythfolk that could easily categorise as faerie , but that individual reject place among faeries . sometimes , whether someone fall under category is just unclear , especially as words might refer to several different ideas and stories . other times , faerie might have form that resemble some other mythfolk , but those creatures largely not faeries . is aos sí faerie ? sure , until god . is mermaid faerie ? yes , and no , and sometimes in between . is dryad faerie ? probably not , until yes . 

also , faeries not really geographically bound . even different otherworlds and underworlds that associate with particular earthly regions could potentially have entrances anywhere , especially as humans of those regions move around world and bring echoes of history along . even so , that is not to say that other regions simply " misidentify " faeries to be something else , or that faerie is correct universal term - those creatures and mythical peoples still very much separate . 

faeries can be born - though that word choice can sometimes be can of worms too - in these worlds beneath earth , or , up on surface . as kossai experience and observe , but still would not say universal , such earth-surface faeries can form core connections to aspects from environment of birth . that is not to say inherently protector or guardian , but that might consider such to be important part of selfhood , and reflect this aspect bodily in some way . 

all of this to say : fuck if even faeries know how to define faerie sometimes , ha ! still , appreciate those who read into faerie folklores - can definitely find patterns of faerie traits and what set faeries apart from humans and other creatures alike , just ... sometimes more wibbly than , say , what define humans . sometimes easier to define specific kith that fall under umbrella of faerie , but even then might just need to flip table and be done .

kossai: masculine form of kossai (Default)
rewrite of something slightly older . maybe could do with some more polish still . :P

always have hard time to describe and explain parts of experiences because english words , even alterhuman community ones , just sort of ... lack in some ways for personal tastes . instead choose to use nissa terms , which come from home world and kossai exclusively .

nissa is something , or several somethings , which lie at core . not all faeries will have same connections of nissa , but at least in experience of kossai , many faeries do have at least one - most especially those born from earth .

birth environment is usually first factor to define subject of nissa . this can include :
  • biome and overall climate - snowy , forest , desert
  • time of day
  • weather
  • particular species of organism in environment - flowers , trees , animals , fungi
different connections exist , and each one can have impact on appearance and behaviour of given faerie . even faeries born in same environment at same time might latch onto different subject as nissa , and in different ways .

mi-nissa

appreciation and interest for subject
not necessarily instinctual knowledge - have to intentionally seek out and learn .

integral connection to subject , as symbolism
deep connection to personal or cultural ideas of what any given subject might represent .
passion of roses .
freedom and luck of robins .
deadly beauty of destroying angel mushrooms .

natural-born appearance reflect subject , by choice
no natural body parts reflect subject .
reflection is almost entirely in choices of jewellery , accessories , and clothes .

be-nissa

integral connection to subject , as kinship
feel at home and comfortable among subject .
may consider self as partially , but not entirely , subject .

instinctual desire to care for subject
may consider self to be protector or guardian of subject .
in some circumstances , may consider self to be parent of subject - such as mother of local rabbit warren .

instinctually understand and reflect mannerisms of subject
faerie of cat be-nissa may be able to purr .
faerie of rose be-nissa may be able to identify when any given rose is sick , even before visual cues .

natural-born appearance reflect subject , non-entirely
faerie of luna moth be-nissa may naturally have wings that resemble wings of luna moth , but otherwise happily appear humanoid .
faerie of red rose be-nissa may instinctually be drawn to red clothes above other colours , but have no petal or leafy growth across body .

su-nissa

all be-nissa traits above , as well as :

integral connection to subject , as selfhood
consider self indistinguishable from subject .

instinctually understand and can communicate with subject
faerie of rabbit su-nissa may be able to effectively communicate safe area to wild rabbits .
faerie of oak su-nissa may be able to help trees to redistribute resources between roots .

natural-born appearance reflect subject , majorly or entirely
may have several forms on scale of humanoid to non-humanoid , to compensate for situations where humanoid form is necessary .
faerie of dog su-nissa may thus have form which appear like ordinary quadrupedal dog , another form which is anthropomorphic dog , another form which is humanoid with doggish features , and even one which lack doggish features entirely .
this in mind : preference is still individual - some may find great comfort in humanoid forms , while others detest . likewise , others may only shift to non-humanoid forms when absolutely necessary , or always stay in these forms even if inconvenient .

important to know is that none is necessarily more or less integral than each other - each can be equally integral to identity and life , but with different expressions .
kossai: masculine form of kossai (Default)
as usual , all here is what kossai experience and understand . this is not from academic folklore study perspective , but from perspective that kossai live as faeries , and want to ramble and define some things .

to start , what is faerie , even ?
on earth , faeries will generally be born in or as part of realms like kora fisenna . for human perceptions , beings which class as faerie tend to have records in celtic , british , or european folklores .
still , even not all of those will definitely be faeries . some do not have part in kora fisenna at all , but in other realms - and that do not even touch non-earth otherworlds .
kossai definition of faerie is kind of loose - largely base in experiences with kora fisenna and specifically celtic and british kith , but any who personally find faerie fit is welcome .

kith is one of words kossai take from changeling the dreaming , to mean more or less same thing - any specific individual " type " of faerie . elf is one kith , pixie is another , brownie is another , and so on .
these kith can have different anatomy and needs from one another , while still find home and comfort among faerie .

important to say that not all creatures and beings of this specific type will consider self to be faerie . these names mostly come from humans , for one ! humans might look at 5 different beings and say all is elf , but each one might have personal objections to that - and to category of faerie .
not only that , but just by coincidences and happenstances , some faeries will have body that resemble creature or being which is very usually not faerie . many dryads for example , so far as kossai know , would object to class as faerie - but , then , some faeries have body and needs that best can describe as dryad . definitions of almost any being as definitely or definitely not faerie can get kind of hairy , as result .
kossai: masculine form of kossai (Default)

( old post , before switch to words of kith and nissa . )

so , faerie forms dictate first by essence , which in turn come from birth environment . still that essence can express in many ways , and lots have access to shapeshift and glamours . so essence is not strict rules about form , but say , one with snow essence will always " look part " and all forms will share this . can change forms , but not that essence .

but also , sometimes essence take on animal form , especially in environments dominate by life other than humans . again , these faeries can usually shapeshift , so not limit to feral forms . some leave and take closer place to humans , so anthro or demi forms become more " appropriate " . others stay relatively feral , and take on unnatural appearance . sometimes this is possible but rare look , other times , entirely impossible just for fun .

in other words : sparkle dog can be valid faerie form . :)

Syndicate

RSS Atom

June 2025

S M T W T F S
1 2 3 45 6 7
89 10 11 1213 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22232425262728
2930     

Style Credit

Page generated Jun. 23rd, 2025 01:45 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios