Sluagh

Part of: The Fairfolk Empire

"Oh, you thought I came alone? Now there may be 2 more of me inside my head but those shadows... you're a fool for trusting them."  - Omen Presro, Sluagh of Harena
Often seen as but crazed and vindictive imps, the Sluagh are a greatly misunderstood race. It is said they received the shortest end of the worst stick, as they are not a source for nightmares, but a conduit of them. A Sluagh is connected to the dreams of every living creature around them, in fact, despite the unease that many feel when a Sluagh is in their company, they’ll also report that they have the least nightmare ridden rests, and this is no coincidence. Sluagh naturally take the nightmares of the living and burden themselves with them. It’s not a power (many would call it a curse) that they wield knowingly or control, it is simply a product of who they are. Many aren’t even aware that that is what they do. What they do know however, is the urges that control them are not their own. And they are right, the urges to harm, to burn, to steal, to destroy, these are the urges of the mortals around them. Sluagh often fear going to sleep, and their ragged appearances are normally a result of them clinging desperately to the waking world, praying that the urges do not come again.

However, the usefulness of this innate ability isn’t zero. Sluagh naturally take on the qualities of the nightmares they take, this includes the ability that people hold to reject seeing horror when confronted with it, their stealth is the product of people’s deepest minds trying to reject that they ever saw anything at all.

Culturally, Sluagh are given far more freedom then the Ogres for raising themselves. However, unlike the Ogres; they are not driven by blood or family, Sluagh are born and raised by whoever is most fit at the moment to raise them. It’s not so much the collective parenting of Ogres then it is a cold assortment of resources. This includes passing them off to other fairfolk, including Ogres and Sidhe (if they’ll take them). This is because Sluagh are a reflection of the nightmare around them, not the people they’ve come from. A Sluagh defines themselves by the nightmares they see.

Genetically Antisocial: Sluagh are motivated not by legacy or power, but by a need to remove themselves from others. An ideal life for a Sluagh is a little hut, far away from anyone else who could taint their body with their nightmares, but many settle for helping sidhe climb the ladder of status to remove themselves from those in the slums and streets who’s darkest desires taint more then the ambitions of the higher class. More than any other race, Sluagh have rumours that permeate their kind. They range from the close to reality (Sluagh eat the dreams of sleeping mortals) to the laughable (staring into the eyes of a Sluagh for too long will let them steal your dreams forever). While in truth, the worst looking at a Sluagh will do is lock you in a staring contests, as a general rule, Sluagh tolerate these rumors and frown upon breaking the silence about them; after all, any rumor that stops people from looking directly at you is a rumor to be preserved.

Lifespan of the Sluagh:
Sluagh who are non-frail live into their eighties at best. They are the quickest-dying of the fairfolk, mostly due to heart failure or anxiety/stress related illnesses. Frail Sluagh can live to be around 160 years old, but for the same reason non-frail Sluagh die, sadly, often Frail Sluagh are claimed as well. Dreamless Sluagh, interestingly enough, while their more recent emergence in the Fairfolk lead to less information on their lifespans, but they seem to show fewest signs of stress then their Frail and non-frail counterparts, leading to predictions that they’ll have longer overall lifespans.

Art
Sluagh tend not to be the showy type, preferring to fade into the background rather than being the center of attention. As such, they do not produce much in the way of art besides their cooking, gardening, or entertainment for the Sidhe. They are very adaptable creatures, so many of the tasks given to them will be quietly perfected until they are moved to another task. Occasionally Sluagh will produce personal poetry or sketches in their own time, but those are quickly whisked out of sight once another individual enters the room

Appearance
All fairfolk have pointed ears and gems on their skin, but the Sluagh have relatively dark,, often opaque gems, such as obsidian, blood-stone, azurite, cinnabar, onyx, ruby, cobalt, ametrine, amethyst, sapphire and emerald. As well, they tend to have dark patches around their eyes, though in many cases this is merely makeup. Their clothes can be extravagant or simple, depending on their wealth and choices of the Sidhe that they are living under. They are inherently off-putting, black marks can coat their face, darkened eyes from a lack of sleep are common, and most seem generally unapproachable due to their broody nature. If you could describe them in one word, it would be “Creepy”...

Trade/Commerce
Sluagh trade themselves around until they find the right place to be, swapping houses, assignments, and even caregivers for most of their lives. They are usually hired as assassins or spies, but they can also be utilized as messengers, housekeepers, bodyguards, etc.

Geography
Sluagh are in every province of the forests of Silva’Natu. Depending on their house of retention is where they are located. Though Sluagh not serving in higher positions are often relegated to carefully watched slums, many Sluagh who serve powerful Sidhe find themselves in far more luxurious living conditions.

The Sluagh hold very little of value to their name besides their personal skills in their chosen line of activities, be it household management, personal protection, or acts of intrigue and shadier activities. They tend to be willing to have their abilities purchased as long as they buyer is willing to offer enough and the job doesn’t cause too much unneeded personal strain.



Cuisine
The most luxurious of the food available is given to the Sidhe, so the Sluagh are left with whatever remains along with game and gathering from the woods around and within the districts that they live. Although some are very experienced chefs and utilize their talents for the Sidhe they work for, many do not go out of their way to prepare anything impressive for themselves, opting to stick with simple meals with little preparation time or stress.

Traditions & Holidays
Sluagh tend not to indulge in many “celebratory” activities unless their station requires them to attend them; they would much rather have some peace and quiet than have to attend to copious amounts of inebriated individuals, as both the best and the worst sides of someone can emerge in those settings.

Military
It is not unheard of for Sluagh to be part of the Fairfolk army, but they are certainly not as numerous as the ogres. Militarized Sluagh tend to be living “terror-bombs”; magically teleported behind enemy lines to scatter them in fear towards the readied blades of their Ogre comrades (Most prevalent use of this tactic being seen during the Seige of Grecale in 826). Sluagh much prefer the simpler fights, where individuals are drunk or sleeping and a simple blade or package of powder will silently deal with the issue instead of tossing themselves into a frenzy of fear filled hearts and panic.

Religious Leanings
Sluagh culture puts them more often than not in the gaze of Galaena. The power to have the time to do what they must, and the guidance of fate and clarity through chaos guides them along the path. Many Sluagh also worship Sensus as a god of learning. Zet’Tallen following Sluagh are fairly rare.

Social Structure and History
This is a shared history with the rest of the Fairfolk Empire