The fey of the Seelie Court are split into four minor courts. Each court holds a certain type of virtue that is manifested in a Dream. This Dream is expressed through a specific type of energy. This energy is the very purpose and reason for the court. Every fey that oathbounds to that court becomes personification of this energy and a contributor of it in the prime material and in the Feywilde. The fey is compelled to express this energy. It wants to and needs to. Most fey are obliged to oathbound themselves to a court. Courts offer family, protection and meaning for the fey. Those fey who do not oath bound are often sought out by the courts, they are persuaded and if need be forced. The courts draw their power from their being and purpose so the more fey in a court the more power a court can have. Fey have been known to oathbound partial fey or fey blooded creatures. It is unusual for a fey to change courts. often times it is a fey falling from a Seelie court and oathbounding to a Unseelie court. This can happen under several circumstances. Usually once a fey oathbounds to a court it remains within that court for the remainder of its existence.
“We have laws that we must abide by, Quillionne. You may
not go to your mortal love on this day, or on any day. You may
never see her again.” The queen looked down upon the beautiful,
weeping face of the knight before here. She added, “The
lands in which she lives have been given to the Court of
Nightmare. None of our kind may set foot there again until the
end of this mortal generation.”
“Then I shall become vengeance. I shall leave
this court behind and enter its shadow. Then I will be with
Madriga!” Quillionne said, face flush with rage.
“That is a choice that is yours, and yours alone. But truly,
Quillionne, could you forsake justice and destiny so easily?” The
Queen looked softly at him.
Though the minor courts are bound under the Seelie Court that does not stop them from fitting amongst themselves. Fey are creatures of emotion. Many times the minor courts will have fights, duels and and out right battles with each other. Other times there can be long stretches of peace. They can come together though to battle the unseelie court. War can rage back and forth among the Seelie and Unseelie courts for ages.
The minor courts of the Seelie are Court of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Gentry of the Court
Each court has their own leaders. Individual fey vie for positions within their particular court. The four most powerful or cunning of the fey take up the top positions of a court.
Court Ruler - This position is the leader of the court. They make all decisions for the court and interact with other minor courts in political dealings. They do not often concern themselves with the little politics of all involved in the court unless it is an issue of concern. The ruler is often separate form the rest of the court only coming out on special occasions. Court rulers may take consorts and these are respected within the court and other courts but hold little political power.
Court knight - This position is the defender of the court and the one that carries the most burden of establishing the courts honor and dealings. Court knight is at the Queens beck and call at any time and is usually dealing with court to court politics.
Court Lady/Prince - This position usually falls to those highly favored by the Ruler. They carry almost as much political power and status as the ruler but must oblige by the the rulers whims.
Court Puck - This position falls to those the Ruler favored and places the most trust in. The Puck can act as emissary, spy, jester or counselor. The title carries much prominence and ties as the Puck must fulfill many roles for the ruler.
Minor Court Powers / Affiliations
Spring Court
Dream: Purity
Energy: Growth
The Spring court are devoted to the ideal of purity. They seek to keep nature pure, untouched and to assist in its growth. They also favor purity and growth in others. Keeping ones goals and desires clear and unreproached by the distractions the world has to offer. This court keeps the ideals of the Dream court steady and strong and enforces the "laws" enabling them to prosper.
Court Abilities:
Being oath bound to the court grans one an aura of healing, growth and rejuvenation.
Summer Court
Dream: Passion
Energy: Creation
The Summer court imbibes the spirit of the fey. The zest for life and for creating life. They seek to bring all things into being with zeal and determination. They are powerful craftsmen, both of objects and fey. The summer court often seeks to bring new blood onto the fey fold by imbuing creatures with the power of the feywilde. They are also hold the best parties among the fey.
Court Abilities
Those Oathbound to the Summer Court gain the following abilities:
Artificer's Touch (Sp): You can cast mending at will, using your HD as the caster level to repair damaged objects. In addition, you can cause damage to objects and construct creatures by striking them with a melee touch attack. Objects and constructs take 1d6 points of damage +1 for every two HD you possess. This attack bypasses an amount of damage reduction and hardness equal to your HD. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Animate Servant (Su): At 8 HD, as a standard action, you can give life to inanimate objects. This ability functions as animate objects using your HD as the caster level. You can use this ability once per day at 8 HD, and one additional time per day for every HD beyond 8th.
An oathbound of the Summer court may add these spells to their fey spell list:
1st— wood shape, 2nd-stone shape, minor creation, 3rd—fabricate, major creation, 4th—instant summons, 5th—polymorph any object, Bestow Fey
Autumn Court
Dream: Altruism
Energy: Transformation
The Autumn court yearns to brings things into fruition and strives to transform things into its truest potential wether warranted or not. They are driven by the desire to harvest the best from everything. Transform it to its ultimate purpose and design. Often causing thing to be used up and withered.
Court Abilities
Those Oathbound to the Autumn Court may add the following to their fey spell list.
1st -Alter Self, 3rd - Leaf in the Wind, 5th- Polymorph Self/Other, 7th- Etherealness, 9th - Shapechange
Winter Court
Dream: Justice
Energy: Destiny
Justice, ones destiny, must be met at any cost. The fey of the Winter court seek to enforce all bargains and pacts of the Dream Court, no matter the cost. The empower the force of Destiny, ones fate, which is inevitable. One does not run from their Destiny. You must meet it head on. To the Winter court it is not about what is right, or what is wrong. What will be, is predetermined, and must be done.
Court Abilities
Fateful Touch (Su): You can touch a creature as a standard action, granting them the ability to automatically succeed or fail (at their option) on one saving throw, skill check, or ability check. The automatic success must be used within one minute of being touched.
Amor Fati (Su): at 8 HD, your acceptance of fate's grand plans leaves you mentally calm, granting you a +3 bonus to your Will saves.
An oathbound of the Winter Court may add these spells to their fey spell list:
1st— Augury, Divination, 2nd- Zone of truth, 3rd—Break enchantment, Commune 4th—True Seeing
5th— Scrying, Greater