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On Lein and Obligation

Author: Cain
Date: unknown, 2006?
The information that follows is from personal experience and
recollection. It may be incorrect in parts or in whole, but take it as
it may have value to those who go to engage the main force tomorrow.

Lein and Obligation is non-magical in nature. It's a social convention
enforced by the lay of the lands. You can't abjure it away, protect your
'soul' with any sort of magics or stand inside a magical barrier to
dodge it's influence. It is intrinsic to the society of Fae, and being
belief-based, is very strongly enforced there.

Perhaps it is based on Cuchullen having pulled the original Fae from the
darkness of Bedlam. Perhaps it is the structure under which the courts
are based upon in the beginning. Does any and all order in Fae come from
this notion? It is perhaps an interesting academic musing.

Also, all fae are subject to it, from the peon to the lords, princes,
and kings themselves.

Note that L&O can be shattered by a few things. For instance,
misbalanced favors or asking for something too great in return will
cause the fae to simply laugh at you. For instance if you gave a person
a cup of water, they accepted, you place them under lein and obligation,
and then told them to kill their friends, they would not be under any
such obligation to do so. The favors simply do not line up. I've found
that cross-favors sometimes cancel each other out, all things being
equal, but it depends on situations and people, as always.

Lein and obligation seems slightly less powerful from mortals over fae,
than from fae over fae, but it is still quite potent. I've seen it
portrayed in-context in different ways. Some Fae simply expect lein and
obligation, and it is not considered rude or discourteous. Others,
especially those largely disconnected with the Courts, I've noticed,
consider it to be rather uncouth, or particularly manipulative.

It remains to be seen what happens in the case of (magically or
otherwise) forgetting about a lein and obligation, though I feel that
the land would probably still enforce it. A war of internalized belief
magic may ensue between one who believes himself free, and the land
which may hold you to such a favor. I've never seen a situation come up,
and again, it is an interesting discussion for the late-night fireside
academics.

Understanding Fae society, who the Fae are, and what they respect is the
key to winning a war for balance and preservation. It would do us all
well to focus on this instead of an arms race with which to defeat them,
as if they were a simple foe.
Created by Cain (Jay Bonci) at 07-20-06 02:52 PM
Last Modified by Faelinn Shadowmoon (Leanne Micciche) at 04-07-08 10:33 AM