Stephanie Fowers
Author
"Big Bad Wolves? Girls getting stuck in towers? Gold spinning Faeries stealing firstborns? What if I told you Faerytales were real, they just haven't happened yet?"


"You're next in the books..."



THIRD ELEMENT: AIR

Gorias is a city in the clouds where the majority of the winged creatures of the Sidhe lives and reigns without fear from their neighbors. It’s almost impossible for our Faery Hunters to reach the Fae hiding out there. They govern the spear of Lugh; the wand that spreads magic and unity throughout the Sidhe (a horrible thought). Therefore, Air acts as their power; and to us, it is the magic, spell, enchantments, etc., that witches and wizards (and now scientists and Faery Hunters) have collected over the years. Yes, we’ll do what we have to do to win this war; even if that means using the Fae’s own magic against them.

Stolen Magic
The following have been collected from legends, traded for secrets, or coerced from Faery prisoners of war.
Incantations
Spells
Curses
Names
Enchantments
Prophecies

We also have the ability to collect the previous items on the list from actual Faeries themselves as they speak them. (See *Crystals above. The method would be through *Spindles, see below).

Stolen Magical Artifacts
The following items carry the power of the Fae (whether it’s through enchantments cast by Faeries or the material made up of their very essence, which will be discussed later in the category about *Fire). It’s good to get your hands on some of these:
Cloaks
Jewelry
Rings
Charms
Seer stones

Other enchanted items (as in Jack and the Beanstalk with the harp, treasure, hen. Hey, we take what we can get).

Other Magical Items
When walking into a den of Faeries, believe me, you’ll need a pile of these accessible in nice and handy sandwich bags.
Bells: They duplicate Faery laughs (which are pretty powerful). Faery laughs have magical qualities that soothe, agitate, control, etc. Depending on the tenor and tone of the bell, you can entice Faeries, in order to trap them or use the bells to chase them away
Salt: When thrown over your shoulder, it tricks and distracts more primitive breeds and/ or stings their eyes. See above in the earth Category for properties.
Four leaf clovers: These are only good luck for Leprechauns and humans. They break Faery glamour, work as counter-spells, and help Faery Hunters see Faeries in order to fight them.
Thyme: Also good for seeing Faeries. Works great, especially with the Hobgoblin. No longer can he go invisible and play tricks on you and your own.
Red Items: Ripe berries and things made of rowan (especially crosses). It works as protection, which is also why it’s helpful to wear red.
Gorse: A bush of thorns you grow anywhere you don’t want Faeries (mostly the smaller breeds: sprites, brownies, gnomes). They can’t get through the leaves.
Breadcrumbs: (discussed two sections above, but important for any skirmish).
Oatmeal: Works like breadcrumbs. Put it in your pocket and Faeries won’t come near you, although it’s probably because they don’t like the smell.
Peonies: Meant to be hung around the neck for protection (just the seeds and roots).
Stale urine: (keep this one in a vial, not a sandwich bag) Yeah, I know it’s weird, but we use whatever we can get our hands on. Medieval peasants used this to sprinkle on their cattle and doorposts and on the walls to keep the Faeries away. It has salt peter, that’s my only guess as to why it works. I prefer other things really.
St. John’s Wort: It’s an herb that grows in Midsummer (the season with the hugest Faery pestilence). It works against certain spells during the Midsummer months.
Pieces of driftwood: You got me, but it works really well with swamp and bog creatures, the ones who try to drag you in to drown you. They grab the driftwood instead.

Beliefs:
Thresholds: Pennies, runes, and iron nails keep the Faeries out of the house. Though watch for mists, if they (or anything else) obscure the runes, you’re in trouble.
Crosses: Faeries don’t hate crosses because they’re afraid of religion; they’re afraid of losing power when you’re not afraid of them. Your lack of focus and fear messes with their power. Also see *Circles under the earth category. I always wear a Celtic one to show I’m the one in charge.

Know Thine Enemy
Geis: This is a promise that Faeries make. It might be a vow not to change their physical appearance or a promise not to eat a certain type of food, or a command that they must follow like a quest. Faeries must never break this vow or it will weaken them and/ or they will die. If you can find out a Faery’s geis and get him to break it; it will make him weak enough to take down.
Names: A Faery’s given name is powerful stuff. Find out his or her name, and you will be able to invoke this Faery. Just make sure that you’re prepared to fight the Faery when it comes or it will be an unbelievably stupid and wasted move. And if the Faery doesn’t have a name yet? Go ahead and name it. Naming a Faery—which is way different than discovering its name—gives you control over it. Not many Fae are missing their names, however, so it probably won’t happen.
Naming Mortal Children: Once again, there is power in names. A proper christening makes it so mortal children are harder to steal, which means name your kid as soon as you can. Most changelings happen when parents are waffling over names.
Hair: Some species of Fae hold their power in their hair. Keep a pair of scissors handy.
Cats: Supposedly, they are guardians of the mortal world. They are the preferred pets of witches, wizards, and old ladies. If you want to annoy a Faery, bring one over and see the fur fly…though, to be honest, I don’t trust the fur balls myself really.


And now to our final and most powerful (though fatal) way to fight the Fae. I save it for last because some of it troubles even me:

FOURTH ELEMENT: FIRE





Copyright © All content belongs to Stephanie Fowers
'Faery Hunter Guide'




(Taken from "At Midnight" by Stephanie Fowers. FIRST BOOK HERE)

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'Faery Hunter Guide'

Sections: 1-Earth, 2-Water, 3-Air, 4-Fire