Neese

[Marjorie]

This is The Glanconer, by Brian Froud, found in the book Good Fairies, Bad Fairies.

__________________QUICK STATS
Name Neese is a man of many names see personality
Age Thousands of years old, >10,000 <15,000, Nesse has honestly lost track of how old he is. If you ask him how old he is, he will ask you: How old are the waters or the rocks?   
Gender Male
Species Fae, masquerading as a Libran 
Ethnicity n/a
Height 6’10”
Occupation keeper of oaths and maker of contracts
Residence The in-between places.

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Neese’s natural form is often described as otherworldly by mortals. His flesh is shades of grey and green. He is tall, lean, and lanky, with angular features, and yet still muscular, and possessing of a male physique. His face could be likened to a mask of leaves, and his body possess protrusions at the major joints (elbows, hips, shoulders, knees), odd to mortal eyes, that might look to be tree branches, twigs, or leaves.

However, in this day and age it is exceedingly rare that a mortal would see Neese in his natural form – that’s something that would require a trade of some kind. As he possesses powerful magics, Neese often appears as the most handsome of men or the most alluring of women. He may also come to people in other forms, animals, a tree, or any other shape that might suit his fancy… This allows him to get near to and observe a person without being seen at all, if he so chooses. 

Personality
Neese is his given name, but he is a creature of many names – some given to him by others, some he’s chosen for himself... the ones that follow are the ones he has chosen to call himself weather or not they were given to him by someone else or ones he chose for himself. He most often refers to himself as Neese, and he likes to offer people choices when he does so, but he may introduce himself by any of his names, given his mood or intention at the moment. Some may even have heard of an impossibly attractive you man by one of these names, though it is doubtful anyone had put together all of his names in relation to him specifically or the things he has done over the countless centuries he has lived.

Neese means choice, and it was the gift given to him by his parents. It bestowed upon him free will and the ability to do as he pleased – to choose, and Neese chose for himself may things… Names are powerful, and Neese has many.

Conchobar (strong willed), for Neese seeks to bend other to his will, for his amusement or his whimsy, he finds pleasure in manipulating others and making them submit to him.  Arlan (oath maker). Neese likes to exchange promises, and conditions – a thing for a thing can be a powerful and driving force for him, but one should be mindful and weary of the mighty fortunes that Neese sometimes offers, and even the subtle ones, like a name to call him by – as everything he gives comes with a price and there is always a catch, even for the most astute of negotiators. Kirwin (darkness), for it cannot be ignored that Neese has some darkness about him. He can be impulsive, lustful, hedonic, possessive, cruel, domineering, and willing to do anything to get whatever it is he wants at the moment. Devyn (the poet). Neese is fond of the arts, and covetous of all things beautiful. He finds great pleasure in music, poetry, story, and physical forms of beauty – weather it be a lovely flower, the fairest of maidens, the most handsome of men, or painting, sculpture, or tapestry. Linden (of the trees or nature). Fae have always been tied to nature, according to their philosophy, Fae were first – before mortals – messengers of the Gods on in the physical realm, they helped shaped the world. Helped to make things grow, and to make them decay, they only became messengers of the Gods to mortals in the later days. He feels a closeness to the wild, natural places of the world, that mimic his own power and freedom and chaotic nature.

Magic/Abilities
Neese possess strong and powerful magics of two types – glamours, which he uses to great effect against mortals, especially when he’s attempting to manipulate them in some way, and nature magic. His nature magic is limited to the manipulation of plants, to which he physically appears to be somewhat or somehow related to. 

Relationships
Neese’s relationships tend to be one sided, or heavily weighted toward what he can get out of a person. He doesn’t love people, but he does lust for them. He’s very manipulative and abusive of his relationships with others. He can and often is covetous and jealous. He may come off as devoted, loving, kind even, but truthfully, he’s no use for those things – they are a means to an end for him. 

History
Fae were first – before mortals – messengers of the Gods on in the physical realm, they helped shaped the world. Helped to make things grow, and to make them decay, they only became messengers of the Gods to mortals in the later days. By the recall of the Fae, mortals – even the longest-lived species – are yet young. Not so young that Neese has been around to see all their history unwind, of course, but young enough that Neese looks upon them with impunity. He’s probably forgotten more about magic and the ways of nature than most mortals could hope to gain over a lifetime.

Neese is decedent of a high Fae noble line, counting his years in the thousands, though he cannot recall his exact age these days, nor can he, any longer, recall the names of his parents. The only thing he truly remembers of his parents these days, is the gift of his name, for which he will always be grateful.

Neese has been around long enough to watch generations come and go, and he left the fairy courts some many, many years ago, due to sheer boredom… and now, with the destruction of that world, the Fae Courts no longer exist. This is not to say he doesn’t still hold his title as Lord. He just doesn’t use it often.

Neese is from the in-between places, or the place between, as some like to call it. It is a place that exists separate and apart of the mortal realm at the same time. Like a shadow or a reflection. One can see both places at once in the between places, but the rules are different there, and one can only interact to a degree with the mortal realms while in the Fey places. Neese keep a home – a spindly castle, a gift of his ancestors, in these lands. It’s outfitted with a full staff, even though he rarely makes appearances there.

The between places are most easily accessed through a merroir, in this care any reflective surface - an unmoving pond, serene water in a glass, polished brass, one’s reflection caught in the shining steal of a sword. To Fae folk, these are doorways. Neese frequently moves between the mortal realm and the in-between places as he searches for something of interest, he deems worthy of his time.  Given the advent of space-time travel, and the realization that there were other physical worlds out there… Neese has, over time learned to step threw portals (mirrors) from one planet or station to another. Negating the need for him to use current space travel, most of the time. As the physical realm has always been the physical realm, not matter in which place, and he has always move from the physical world to the between places.