D&D 5E Feywild Eladrin PC Race

[Bacon Bits]

Frankly, I would probably ditch the 4e breakdown and go with the traditional breakdown of the Seelie Court (Summer) and Unseelie Court (Winter) and that's really it. Any fey not associated with either of those would just be unaffiliated. However, I really liked the presentation in the Dresden Files books and I don't really see any value in adding other courts. I don't see why Green isn't largely just Seelie (or Unseelie if they're more malicious). I don't see why Sea wouldn't be split between the two. I don't see why Gloaming fey would organize into a court at all. It looks like a kitchen sink court. It's not interesting to me that outside of the main two courts there would be smaller courts. Factions, yes, because the fey are wild and changing, but I don't really see a need beyond the two court system.

 

[Yaarel]

The D&D tradition seems to be moving toward a seasonal system.

At the same time, I get the Celtic tradition of Seelie versus Unseelie.



Summer ( ≈ Seelie)
Autumn ( ≈ Gloaming)
Winter ( ≈ Unseelie)
Spring ( ≈ Green)



Water is odd. I would lump Water together with Spring, and emphasize that all Spring Eladrin can breathe either air or water, whether or not they live in the water. The Spring Eladrin, are morelike Celtic Sidhe who live underground in mounds or caves, but also underwater in streams or waterfalls.

 

[Yaarel]

The Summer Eladrin can also associate with light and radiant, plus expertise in Persuasion.

Where the Forgotten Realm Sun Elf came to be understood as a kind of Eladrin, it is probably worthwhile to merge the Sun Elf and the Summer Eladrin.

 

[QuietBrowser]

Frankly, I would probably ditch the 4e breakdown and go with the traditional breakdown of the Seelie Court (Summer) and Unseelie Court (Winter) and that's really it. Any fey not associated with either of those would just be unaffiliated. However, I really liked the presentation in the Dresden Files books and I don't really see any value in adding other courts. I don't see why Green isn't largely just Seelie (or Unseelie if they're more malicious). I don't see why Sea wouldn't be split between the two. I don't see why Gloaming fey would organize into a court at all. It looks like a kitchen sink court. It's not interesting to me that outside of the main two courts there would be smaller courts. Factions, yes, because the fey are wild and changing, but I don't really see a need beyond the two court system.

The D&D tradition seems to be moving toward a seasonal system.

At the same time, I get the Celtic tradition of Seelie versus Unseelie.

Summer ( ≈ Seelie)
Autumn ( ≈ Gloaming)
Winter ( ≈ Unseelie)
Spring ( ≈ Green)

Water is odd. I would lump Water together with Spring, and emphasize that all Spring Eladrin can breathe either air or water, whether or not they live in the water. The Spring Eladrin, are morelike Celtic Sidhe who live underground in mounds or caves, but also underwater in streams or waterfalls.

The Summer Eladrin can also associate with light and radiant, plus expertise in Persuasion.

Where the Forgotten Realm Sun Elf came to be understood as a kind of Eladrin, it is probably worthwhile to merge the Sun Elf and the Summer Eladrin.

Whilst I do appreciate the thoughts... I'm going to stick with the five factions of the Court of Stars. 4e made the Eladrin who they are, instead of the generic "Chaotic Good angels who just happen to look like elves" that they were in Planescape. Not working with that lore feels underwhelming, especially as the season court approach seems to be another 5eism that is gilt in terms of lore.

If it helps, I can and will actually quote the Court of Stars' write-ups from 4e's Manual of the Planes.