Manadh, the Omen-Fae

Typically appearing tall and imposing, depending on the viewer, The Manadh exudes an air of uncanny familiarity to whoever lays eyes upon its ghastly visage, like an old friend of decades past. Its vaguely bipedal body is covered in sleek light tan fur with splotchy deeper brown markings scattered randomly which shimmer with an otherworldly luminescence, appearing almost gnoll-like in stance and shape overall. The feathers that adorn its frame across the shoulders, forearms, lower legs and lower back are vaguely avian in appearance and match several known birds around Arethil, albeit with a mesmerizing iridescence, displaying a kaleidoscope of colours ranging from deep sapphire blue to emerald green, creating an ethereal glow that seems to emanate from within from time to time.

Its long, sinewy limbs are adorned with glistening, scythe-like talons resembling obsidian stone atop elongated dexterous digits covered in a knobbly, hard hide, patched with fur. Each limb aids in a strangely graceful and near-silent gait as if gliding rather than walking.

The upper half of the Manadhs face, with its canine resemblance, is bereft of flesh and fur down to the bone and within two black sockets sit two small, gently burning ember-like yellow wisps of otherworldly arcane energy, capable of expanding in size to fill the entirety or vanishing as though blinking. Two long fangs protrude from the upper jaw, elongated compared to the lesser, more lupine appearance of the lower jaw, flesh and fur much like the rest of the body, the familiarity broken by an uncomfortably long, dry tongue.

Crowning the creature's head, four majestic horns curl up and back from the skull almost completely symmetrical to one another, bone blending into impossibly sharp obsidian-black tips and seeming to be the source of the uneasy oppression directly looking at the creature can give.​

Manipulating Presence: The Manadh is thought to be a foreteller of events and a bringer of omens, what truth there is to this is unknown, though the Manadh can and often will change its surroundings to benefit itself or its summoner, depending. Influencing emotions and dreams of mortals is the most common form of manifestation, enhancing feuds or dispelling hatred alike. The growth of crops, streaks of luck and fortune and even wished-upon-deaths have been known to be granted by the Manadh, though the same can be said for those who summon the creature heedlessly. If the creature feels its time has been wasted, it will enact acts of intense suffering and ruin a person's life until they eventually waste away and die.

Fey Glamour: Like most Fey, The Manadh is capable of acts of glamour, appearing where it is not, sounds, illusions, and even the ability to gently persuade a mortal into thinking certain acts are their own free will. It can choose who and when to appear, even if for one person within a crowd in broad daylight.

Mystical Perception: The Manadh possesses heightened senses and perception beyond the capabilities of ordinary beings. It can see through illusions, sense hidden truths, and perceive the metaphysical essence of individuals and objects. This ability grants it an uncanny understanding of the world around it and allows it to detect hidden dangers or opportunities.

The Fey Dilemma: Other Fey and their relatives are the weakness of the Manadh, its powers are lessened or simply useless when in the presence of its kin, reverting merely to a creature of deep intensity and lurking where it will be seen less. Folklore talks of those with particular inclinations of the arcane; witchcraft and its many forms are capable of seeing the Manadh for what it is, though only when summoned. The Manadh will not think twice before reverting to a more physical approach when it feels its time has been squandered.

Hide And Seek: The Manadh has a deep loathing of being seen directly, instead almost all interactions with the Manadh will be with a glamour of itself, the true form always standing in the peripheral of everyone present all at once. The same is true for those it stalks, never truly seeing the creature that haunts them, though legend says that if one was to directly see the Manadh through trickery, it will cease its hunt and forever avoid the one who has seen it. Fey folk and their kin are capable of looking directly at the Manadh, much to the creature's distaste. Practitioners of witchcraft who have summoned the Manadh also have the unfortunate ability to view the creature as it is, so long as it was summoned to them with true intent.

A Familiar Sort: The Manadh, according to legend can be slaved to an arcane sorcerer as a familiar if summoned with intent and a worthy sacrifice is offered within the realm of fey-magic, though only with knowledge of fey-runes and strong mental fortitude could someone successfully achieve such a feat and only for a period of ten years, wherein the Manadh may take action in retribution. The Manadh is an unruly, impetuous familiar often harbouring resentment for its captor and feeding from their wells of arcane to sustain itself.
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Shrouded in deep folklore and old wives' tales, it is very difficult to pin down any one intention or motivation for the Manadh, rarely straightforward or black and white in their machinations. Due to their connection with the Dawn Court, they enjoy riddles and cryptic clues that may or may not lead to anything fruitful. Rumour has it they also enjoy being challenged on these riddles and clues, a strong sense of willpower is a surefire way to garner their lasting attention. Should someone want it.

With no clearly defined start, the Manadh is often assumed to have been around since the birth of the Fae realms, having witnessed the rise and fall of civilisations and stalked every race from ancients to elves to dwarves without prejudice. Because of this, they are thought to be wise and knowledgeable, imparting ancient tales and lore to whoever wins their fortune and enacting terrible horrors only seen in ancient times against those who do not. The Fates are rumoured to be linked with their ever-present looming, both good and bad.

Capable of cruel, nefarious acts of mischievousness and deep benevolent guidance and protection in equal measure, the purpose and reasonings of the Manadh can often be seen as whimsical and unpredictable, some swear that no meeting with it ends in gain, whilst others show their gains as proof of their goodwill.

Despite its affiliation with the Unseelie, the Manadh understands the delicate balance between light and dark. It recognizes that sometimes harsh lessons are necessary for growth and that the path to enlightenment is often paved with challenges. Often its guidance and assistance will come with harsh truths or difficult choices, sometimes in the form of Pacts.

Neither good nor bad, the many lore depictions of the Manadh create an enigma in themselves. Something to be feared and respected in equal doses.
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Ancient Beginnings: If legends are to be believed, the Manadh traces its origins back to the earliest days of the fey realm. Born from a merging of primordial arcane forces, it emerged as a manifestation of the split between light and dark, balance and chaos, much like many fey the entity became an enigmatic and unpredictable force of nature, birthed from Unseelie loins of entropy and persistence both.

A Guardian of Omens: Some legends tell of the Manadh being a guardian of omens, a harbinger of change and it is said that the creature possesses an intricate knowledge of the ebb and flow of Fate, though what truth there is to this lies only in legends spoken through word of mouth. What is said more than most is the fact its appearance is more often than not a sign that significant events or challenges lie on the horizon, perhaps of its own creation or because of its deep roots in the fey realms and their actions.

Mortal Meddling: Within the fey realms the Manadh may be mentioned from time to time, in passing thought and some more inquisitorial minds may seek ancient lore and legends from the much older fey-folk and their kin. However very recently within the last century and a half or so, mortal minds and tongues have spoken its name, whispered its tales to their children to hurry them to bed and sometimes, even chanted in tongues meant to summon the creature to their hearths. Proof that the Manadh once again seeks the mortal realm for its schemes and plans, feeding on the will and energy of those it seeks to stalk and commune with. Hungry once more.

The Unseelie Connection: As a creature birthed of the Unseelie, it retains a deep connection with the darker, more chaotic side of the fey realm. Often depicted and seen as a loyal servant to the Unseelie cause, it has been known to offer services more willingly to those it sees as allies, sometimes even adopting a more subservient position within ranks, with very little ambition to rise beyond its own abilities. It is thought that a powerful enough Unseelie-aligned Courtier can summon the Manadh instantly, slaving it to their desire for a time to enact whatever they wish, with very little consequence to their actions.

The Mystery Unknown: All in all the Manadh is an elusive and enigmatic creature, deliberately shrouding itself in layers of secrecy and never clearly announcing anything of itself or admitting legends or lore. Its true intentions are left up for debate and discussion, seemingly following a random thread of Fate that it feels comfortable persisting in, only to switch to another when it fancies. Truly a creature of more questions than answers.

It is important to note that the histories, legends and lore of the Manadh are up to debate and can vary drastically across different cultures, myths and folklore, with storytelling traditions creating an entire area of uncertainty to its past and reasonings. These tales and interpretations contribute to the rich tapestry of fey and mortal lore, giving only guidelines and thoughts on the intricate and elusive nature of the Manadh.​