The Feywild has been part of official Dungeons and Dragons lore for a long time. Long-time players will likely have at least heard the name. Some players may have noticed references to it in the books, such as the presence of several "fey" races.
Now the release of The Wild Beyond the Witchlight has provided dungeon masters with material for adventures in this very peculiar setting, connected and yet seperate from the world most players are familiar with. It is a setting full of contradictions and strange occurrences that will provide some unusual challenges to adventurers. It is also home to some unique creatures, including several playable races and some bizarre enemies.
Background: Planes of Existence
Details may vary depending on the choices of the dungeon master, but official Dungeons and Dragons lore includes a complex web of dimensions that exist in an intertwined mess known as the Planes of Existence. Most games take place in the Material Plane, which is the closest thing to Earth, but there are a variety of other places that include their own strange assortment of quirks and dangers. For instance there are also elemental planes that are entire dimensions that exclusively contain one of the classical elements (air, fire, water, earth). There is a realm called Mechanus where everything runs like clockwork- literally, as in the whole dimension is a giant clockwork machine overseen by the clockwork god Primus. The astral planes enable multiversal travel. Unless the game actually centers on visiting one of these other dimensions, they are not likely to make an appearance in-game though they may still impact the setting and characters.
The material plane is directly connected to two other dimensions- the Shadowfell and the Feywild. The Shadowfell is described as a realm of perpetual darkness and despair, often displaying a twisted version of people and places of the material plane. The Feywild is the opposite, being much brighter and full of wonderous encounters and strange fantastical creatures. These two are the easiest to reach from the Material Plane.
What is the Feywild
The Feywild is a parallel dimension that can be described as a surreal realm of chaotic magic. This makes it wildly unpredictable as conventional logic and reason is almost, if not entirely, non-applicable. In this respect, it is commonly compared to Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland as a confusing world built on its own rules that only make sense to its inhabitants. Because of its close connection to the material plane, portals between the two realms are not uncommon but the wild nature of the Feywild makes it hard to predict exactly where and when they will appear or how long they will stay open.
The terrain of the feywild is made up of natural formations mirroring those found on Earth. Forests, oceans, and mountains make up a lot of the environment. Cities and farms are practically non-existent, though this has not prevented civilizations from existing within it.
Playable Fey Races
Centaurs
Like elves, centaurs originated in the feywild, though they have spread into the material plane,They are easily recognizable due to their distinct appearance- a human head and torso atop the body of a horse. Most centaurs feel more comfortable in natural settings, often preferring wide open spaces to crowded cities. Forests and fields are therefore common homes for centaurs, who usually live in tight-knit communities and feel a strong connection to the surrounding wildlife.
Centaurs can use their hooves as melee weapons that deal bludgeoning damage, plus they get an extra two points to strength and a walking speed of 40 ft, more than most races.
Eladrin
Elves are often labelled as fey creatures, but eladrin stand out from the other sub-races due to actually living in the feywild. Long-term exposure to the feywild's magic has made them a lot more powerful than other elves, and given them access to unique abilities. Another thing that makes them unusual is the way each eladrin is associated with one of the four seasons.
Their choice of season affects their abilities and can even change their appearance- their coloration changing according to their choice. Whether they stay with one season or switch between multiple ones over time can vary between different individuals, but often it reflects their mood.
Eladrin get a natural bonus to charisma plus an ability to teleport up to 30 ft.
Fairies
Fairies come in a variety of different forms. Some are more humanoid while others are more bird or insect-like, with the biggest fairies being similar in size to gnomes around 3ft. But the most obvious chacteristic which distinguishes them from other races is the ability to fly. The exact shape can vary, but fairies have powerful wings which can propel them through the air as fast as they can walk.
At character creation, fairies are allocated three extra points to their attributes, and they automatically get access to the druidcraft cantrip, with faeirie fire and enlarge/reduce being available at later levels regardless of class. They also have the ability to fly which gives them access to areas that might be harder for other party members to reach.
Harengon
Harengon are rabbit-folk common to the feywild. While humanoid in appearance, they come with many traits common to rabbits, including a pair of very powerful legs for hopping and a keen ability to sense danger- all valuable skills to have in a world as unpredictable as the Feywild where potential threats can come from anywhere without warning.
Like fairies, Harengon get access to three extra points to their attributes with two options on how to spread them. They can also add their proficiency bonus to their initiative, giving them better chances of getting a good position in the turn order. They also have really good perception and the option to roll a d4 on failed dexterity saves. Finally, there is the rabbit hop trait which allows them to use a bonus action to get some extra movement.
Satyrs
Satyrs usually resemble a cross between a human and a goat, with the upper half of the former (aside from a pair of horns) and the lower half of the latter. They have a reputation for loving to party, and tend to prioritize fun above all else.
This tendency has also made them famous for being able to hold their liquor and, making them great opponents for drinking contests.
Satyrs get the ability to ram enemies for bludgeoning damage, plus advantage on any saving throw related to spell effects.
Dangers of the Feywild
While they Feywild may seem more welcoming and friendlier than the Shadowfell, make no mistake- it still poses its share of dangers and can be a deathtrap for unprepared adventurers. The surreal unpredictable nature of the Feywild causes it to change constantly. Portals can open and close without warning, easily stranding any travellers. The environment can abruptly change in ways that are impossible to predict. Travel can be wildly inconsistent- landmarks that appear to be close together can actually be miles apart, or vice versa, or the distance might change between multiple trips along the same route.
This alone can make it very disorienting and a challenge for any adventurer who cannot function without stability and consistency. But there are greater dangers at play.In addition to the environment itself, there are a variety of strange creatures that can cause problems for adventurers. Some notable examples include:
- Meenlocks: Grotesquely mutated creatures driven by a need to cause terror and destruction wherever they go. Even worse, their primary mode of reproduction is to mutate humanoids through a process based on psychic torture.
- Boggles: Mischevous creatures that like to play pranks on anyone they can find. They are not so much evil as mischevous, but their ideas of "pranks" have been known to cause serious problems for unsuspecting adventurers.
- Displacer Beasts: Six-legged puma-like creatures with tentacles, capable of producing simple illusions
- Fomorian: Once a race of giants known for their good looks, their pride ended up being their undoing and they were punished by mutating into disgusting forms that barely resembled their former selves.
- Hags: Cruel witches who specialize in causing as much pain in the lives of others as possible. They are never to be trusted, though they have ways of forcing their victims to co-operate with their will.